n-307-! (I love you)
by Bridgy
Summary: Senku is not a romantic, nor has he ever flirted with the idea. But if he had to choose someone, it would be Yae Sawa. Senku admired her brilliant mind. When Senku wakes from his sleep, he finds Yae in Kohaku's village, but she has lost her memory. Senku makes it his mission to restore her memory, but Tsukasa has plans to use Yae, and Senku will do everything he can to stop him!
1. Chapter one

**Author's note: Story will contain sex, violence, and strong language.**

_I want to get inside your head; I want to know what you're thinking.  
Are you thinking about me too? I can't help but wonder..._

These were the thoughts running through Yae Sawa's brain as she stared at the back of Senku's head in class. She knew it was childish of her to be thinking this way. For all she knew, Senku didn't even know she existed.

Yae had always noticed Senku—everyone did—but especially her. Perhaps if not for her shyness she might actually have the guts to talk to him, even if it was just a simple "hello".  
No.  
She started feeling sick to her stomach just thinking about it. Besides, the few girls who had professed their "love" to him, were quickly dismissed by a wave of Senku's hand. Yae knew she would just end up being rejected like all the others, so why bother getting close when those feelings would never be reciprocated?  
She wondered about that too.

The closest she ever came to having a conversation with the brainiac was during class competitions. But even still...  
The pressure of Yae's guilt weighed her down mentally.  
Taiju Oki, Senku's closest friend, was going on about confessing his undying love for the girl of his dreams, and that today was the day.  
Yae wished she had that kind of confidence and almost envied him for it—almost.  
The truth was: Yae wasn't comfortable in her own skin. Her medium length black hair was usually oily, no matter how many times she washed it, and she was less than happy with the size of her waist.  
Deep down, Yae knew she wasn't chubby, but seeing so many other girls flaunt their slender forms made her feel less than confident.

When school was over, Yae sat there in her seat minutes after the bell had rung. She was contemplating whether or not to try and say something to Senku who stood over by the window, no doubt watching Taiju confess his love.  
How funny would it be if she asked to walk home with him on a day such as this—when Taiju was about to pour out his heart—how funny it would be if Yae chose today to make her first move.  
Yes. Funny indeed, and totally out of the question.  
Senku would say, "There's a ten billion percent chance I'd have better things to do than walk home with a complete stranger."  
Okay. Maybe he wouldn't say that, but Yae couldn't help but let that made up sentence rule over her mind.  
And as Yae stood up, gathering her belongings, she glanced at Senku one last time as she stood by the doorway, sliding her eyeglasses up her nose like she always did to get a good look at him; her dark brown eyes suddenly becoming bigger behind the glass frame.  
At that moment, a bright light shone, and Yae forgot about all her worries...

_Where am I? What happened? And how did I get here?_  
_I don't remember anything._  
_Should I be happy? Should I be sad?_  
_My name is Yae Sawa...Yae Sawa..._

Yae sat up straight, brushing dirt and leaves from her body. Her name was the only thing she remembered. She had no knowledge of any family or friends...or enemies.  
She stood, realizing now that she was naked, but she had no memory of knowing any better. Was she always naked? She couldn't remember.  
All of her body parts were accounted for. Speaking of. There were strange black markings on her lower belly that rested just above her private area, and on her hips.  
Had she always had those markings?

It was then that she took a look around, completely surrounded by a forest. The name of the place—the land—was foreign to her.  
She was completely and utterly lost. There was only one thing she could do and that was to start walking.

After a few feet, Yae stubbed her toe on a rock—no, it was something else buried under dirt, grass, and leaves. She took a moment to unearth whatever it was and gasped softly to see a young man made out of stone.  
Yae stared at him for a moment, examining his face. She then proceeded to remove the rest of the foliage and cocked her head to the side at the amazing detail of the male's naked stone body.  
Whoever created this work of art payed close attention to the anatomy, not that Yae had any idea that it was Senku she was eyeing up and down, or the fact that what she doing would be considered perverted. Her innocent mind was completely oblivious.

Yae stood, brushing her hands together to remove the dirt, and continued walking.  
It was nearly dark by the time Yae stumbled upon a blonde girl in a blue dress. She had just finished catching a couple of rabbits.  
"Can I help you...?" The blonde girl asked, surprised by Yae nakedness.  
"My name is Yae Sawa...I think I'm lost. Can you help me?" She was so glad the girl spoke the same language.  
The blonde stood straight and tall and walked over to Yae and held out her hand. "My name is Kohaku. Nice to meet you, Yae." She paused. "What tribe did you come from?" She asked, trying not to let her eyes wander anywhere but Yae's face.  
Yae cocked her head to the side. "Tribe? I don't know. I don't remember anything before waking up today."  
Kohaku slung the strung up rabbits over shoulder. "I see. Lost your memory huh?"  
Yae nodded. "That seems to be the case, yes. Can you help, Kohaku?" She asked again.  
Kohaku thought for a moment, and then said, "Sure, follow me. But first, you need some clothes." Kohaku bent down and rummaged through a bag and pulled out a brown cloak. "I use that whenever it gets too cold out and I'm still out hunting. You can use it for now though."  
"Thanks," Yae wrapped the cloak around her body and followed closely behind Kohaku.

On their walk back to the Village, Kohaku looked at Yae occasionally from over her shoulder.  
Yae took notice of this and said, "I won't do anything stupid, I promise."  
Kohaku stopped short. "I just find it weird that you don't remember a thing!" That sentence came out of her mouth more harshly than she intended. "I mean, what are those strange markings on your body?" She pointed.  
Yae put her head down. She didn't know. "If you want to leave me here, fine. I understand."  
Kohaku suppressed a sigh. Instead, she scratched the back of her head. "I'm not going to leave you out here by yourself. C'mon!" And they continued on.

When they reached the village, two guards stood watch.  
"Kohaku! Who is that with you?"  
Kohaku briefly looked over her shoulder again, and then looked back at the guards. "Kinro, Ginro," She started. "Meet Yae Sawa. I found her wandering on her own in the forest."  
"You know the rules, Kohaku: no outsiders allowed." Kinro said.  
Yae felt her stomach drop.  
Ginro then pointed out. "Isn't that your cloak, Kohaku?"  
Kohaku shrugged. "Yeah, so?" There was a pause. "Sheesh, boys! She was naked so I helped her out!"  
Kinro and Ginro slightly blushed at this.  
"S-still," Kinro stammered. "No strangers allowed."  
"Joy killer..." Kohaku mumbled under her breath.  
"What was that?"  
"Nothing."

Not a moment later did a soft voice call out Kohaku's name.  
"Ruri?" She seemed surprised. "Sister, what are you doing? You should be resting."  
This didn't stop Ruri from crossing the bridge though. "I saw you and I got excited." It was then she noticed Yae. "Who is she?"  
"This is Yae Sawa." Kohaku explained to her sister just as she did for the brothers.  
"Oh dear." Ruri started. "That's scary." She turned to Yae and grabbed her hand. "If Kohaku trusts you, then I trust you too. Welcome to Ishigami Village!"  
The name "Ishigami" rattled inside Yae's head.  
Kinro and Ginro tried to protest further, but it was no use.  
Yae had instantly become part of the village.

The village fed Yae and clothed her; putting her in more comfortable wear: a simple white cotton dress that reached to her knees and with quarter length sleeves. For her bottom, they gave her thin black cotton leggings that reached as far as her calves, and straw sandals.

Next, they fed her, stuffing her belly. Yae was very grateful to the villagers, especially Kohaku and Ruri. But there was something about Kohaku's older sister. She was sick with something. There was also a nagging feeling in the back of Yae's mind, like there was something she could do to help.

Eventually, Yae had made friends with a boy named Chrome. Together they searched for a way to cure Ruri's illness.  
Some days, Yae would go hunting with Kohaku and pick up herbs along the way. It was the least she could for what her new-found friends had done for her.  
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months.  
On one particular day there had been a loud booming sound far off into the distance.  
"Go back to the Village, Yae." Kohaku told her.  
Yae didn't argue. Kohaku knew these lands well enough to know something bad had just happened.  
"If anyone asks where I am, tell them I went further into the forest for better game."  
Yae nodded. "Okay, I will! Please be careful, Kohaku."  
Kohaku snorted. "Who do you think you're talking to here?" And she ran off.  
Yae did as Kohaku said. At first, no one batted an eye, but when night came, more people began to worry.

At first light of morning, Yae gathered up her wicker basket and took off for the forest, not just for herbs, but to find Kohaku as well.  
She walked for hours until her feet started to hurt. She stopped for a short rest under a tree, thinking of places she hadn't looked yet.

Suddenly, something with wheels zoomed by and a mix of two voices talking frantically. Yae shot up and darted toward the direction the strange contraption was headed and then suddenly heard it crash. It was a ways away from her and it was no surprise to her with the speed it was traveling.  
It took Yae a good thirty minutes to reach the base of the village again, and when she popped out of the edge of the forest, carrying her wicker basket, her mouth dropped. There was another person standing beside Kohaku—a young man with white hair and green at the tips.  
"Oh, Kohaku, you're okay!"  
Her voice brought the attention of everyone standing at the bridge to her.  
"Yae!" Kohaku smiled. "Glad to see you're okay."  
The young man with white hair seemed frozen as he stared at Yae. "Yae...?" He started slowly. "Yae Sawa?"  
Kohaku shifted her eyes back and forth and then crossed her arms. "Yae, this is Senku. Do you two know each other?"  
Before Yae could respond, Senku stepped forward. He looked baffled.

Senku stared at her for a moment in disbelief. Was it really her? The Yae that Senku remembered was different, yet there she was! She had longer hair now, and she had slimmed down considerably, probably from the lack of nutritional food in the new world.  
Senku squinted his eyes. There was something missing. Ah! Her glasses.  
_Yes,_ thought Senku. _This is Yae Sawa. She just looks a little differ—_  
His eyes scanned down to her breasts. Those had changed too! A perfect handful is what Senku couldn't help but think. It was automatic and he couldn't stop the thought from jabbing into his brain.  
"I'm sorry," Yae said. "Who are you?"  
Senku's mouth dropped a little, and he looked back at Kohaku.  
The young blonde sighed and explained. "Yae lost her memory. She's been living in the village for a little over a year now."  
Senku looked back at Yae, still hardly able to believe that she was alive! "I see." He shrugged. "I must have you confused with someone else. Sorry about that." He kept his cool.  
Yae smiled. "That's okay!"

Senku studied her face. He had never seen Yae smile before, let alone hear her talk so casually. She really had lost her memory, because the Yae he remembered was an iron ball that held in all of her emotions with a high wall of bricks built around her. There was little chance of anyone ever getting close to her, and that was part of the reason he never approached her. He didn't think she wanted him too.  
But when it really came down to it, hiding deep inside Yae's mind, she wanted Senku to talk to her more than anything. And of course he had no way of knowing this.

A rather unfortunate turn of events...

**Author's note: I didn't explain Yae's back story or personal life for a reason. I want you as the reader to gradually find out with the rest of the characters. It's part of the plot. You're not supposed to know yet.**

**Also, I'm basing this off the anime. I brought everything up to speed, so by next week I should have a new chapter out following after episode 8.**


	2. Chapter two

**Author's note: I managed to write another chapter. It's not much, but I hope you like it!**

The newcomer, Senku, left Yae with much to think about. He too had strange black markings, only his was on his face. She decided, for now, to keep quiet about it, and wondered if Kohaku even remembered seeing similar symbols on her. For now, Senku was staying with Chrome in his hut. The poor lad wasn't welcomed into the village just yet and she couldn't help but feel bad for him. It was then that a wonderful idea sprung from her head.  
_Ah hah! _She thought. _That's what I'll do!  
_Yae grabbed a basket and placed different kinds of fruit and vegetables inside. Surely the two boys were hungry, and with the sun going down and the cool temperature fast approaching with the night, she poured hot tea into a mug, wrapped the top with a cloth and then tied it with a thin string of rope to keep it from spilling. Once she had everything accounted for in her basket, she took off across the bridge and made her way to Chrome's hut.

The door was left wide open and Yae could hear the two talking about Ruri. She walked up to the ladder and took careful steps to not rushing herself in case she slipped. Yae clutched the basket in one hand while she took extra caution while climbing the ladder.  
"What are you two talking about?" She asked as she peered over the ledge.  
Chrome quickly walked passed Senku to take the basket from her.  
Senku decided to help too and held out his hand for Yae to pull herself the rest of the way up. This was the closest he had ever been to her. All those years during school he never saw her make physical contact with anyone. He wished he had at least _attempted _to talk to her before the stone world.  
Yae then tripped on the last step of the ladder, falling forward. She would have landed face-first on Chrome's doorstep if Senku wasn't still holding her hand.  
"Thanks!" Yae gave him another sweet smile just as she did earlier that day.  
"Careful now," Senku told her as she laughed nervously and let go of him to rub her eyes. "What's the matter?" Senku asked.  
"It's strange; I can see things far away but not up close that well."  
_Ah, _thought Senku. _That's right. She doesn't have her glasses anymore. She must have hyperopia. In other words, she's farsighted.  
_"You two are talking about Ruri, right?" Yae asked.

Chrome frowned as he led the two back inside the hut and shut the door. He lit a candle and set the basket down in the middle of the floor. "Yeah..." Senku said. "For a while now, Chrome and I have been trying to find a cure, but no such luck." Senku thought to himself, _the answer should be easy for you, Yae, but it's buried deep in your subconscious mind. _He sighed. "Let me take you both back 3700 years ago." Senku thought best not to tell Yae that she was like him. Instead, he was going to treat her the same, and hopefully, she would fall back into her daily routines (whatever that was) and regain her memories. But as of now, he needed to keep all that aside and focus on what was happening now.  
Yae and Chrome listened to Senku carefully as he laid out the history of the Human Race and Chrome looked as if he was going to cry.  
Yae studied Senku with a serious face. Everything he had just explained somehow came as no surprise to her as if she had heard all those stories before...but where? How?  
Finally, Yae spoke. "Can you help us find a cure, Senku? I imagine you can with all that knowledge crammed inside your head."  
Senku smirked. "You're one billion percent correct! Two million years of human history hasn't gone anywhere. It's all right here, inside my head." He paused. "And it's inside you too." He brought his fist forward Chrome. "Am I wrong?"  
"No, you're not. I'm gonna help you build this kingdom of science, and we're gonna find a cure to whatever it is that's making Ruri sick! So are you up for it? Using science to find a way to cure her?"  
Senku smirked. "Hell yeah! We're gonna use science to make the ultimate medicine. The three of us are going to make antibiotics!"

The word struck one of Yae's brain cells. "A bacterial medicine." She said. "Doesn't it help destroy or slow down diseases caused by this thing called bacteria?"  
Chrome flopped back down on his butt, mouth Ajar.  
Senku on the other hand grinned. "That's right." He told her.  
"How do you know this?" Chrome wanted to know  
Yae shrugged. "I don't know. When Senku brought it up, it somehow became familiar to me. I can't remember anything else, though, unfortunately." She bowed her head.  
"Hey, don't beat yourself up." Senku stretched his arm toward her just as he did to Chrome. Yae lifted her head and bumped her fist with his. "I'm sure you'll get your memories back soon." He hated that he had to pretend he didn't know her. To help him from mentally kicking himself for it, he grabbed fruit from out of the basket. "Thanks for this." And he took a bite.  
A soft chuckle came from Yae and she smiled. "Of course! I thought you two might be hungry."

It was all very weird to Senku. Maybe this was how she acted when not in school. He stole glances at her from time to time while they ate their food from the basket.  
_Try everything. _He thought. "Yae," Senku started.  
"Yes?"  
"I want to help you get your memory back."  
Yae felt uncertain. "Are you sure? I mean, with trying to find a cure for Ruri, how will you have time to help me?"  
Senku smirked. "Just leave that to me."  
Before either of them could say more, a knock came to the door, and before anyone could answer, Kohaku let herself in.  
"There you are." She said to Yae. "I've been looking for you. I was wondering if you would help me prepare Ruri's bath. It's easier with two people."  
Yae stood up immediately. "Sure." She picked up the basket and waved the boys goodbye.

The girls made their way down the ladder and towards the bridge.  
Senku ran after them, telling them to stop—Yae particularly.  
"You never gave me a straight answer. Will you let me help you, or no?"  
"Help her with what?" Kohaku asked.  
"My memory..." Yae said, never taking her eyes off Senku who waited for an answer. The look on his face was sincere. So he was being serious about helping her. "Yes, Senku. I would like that very much."  
"Alright!" His arm shot forward, hand bawled into a fist. "Time to get excited!"  
Yae laughed a little and bumped his fist again.

This sparked a newfound friendship and a means of survival. Yae's lost memories were a valuable asset to helping Senku and the others survive.

**A review is food for the writer's soul.**


	3. Chapter three

The following morning, Yae forced herself to wake up extra early. She was going to head out into the forest to look for more herbs for Ruri. So far, she had stayed fairly close to the village, but today she decided that if she wanted to find anything new, then venturing further out would be best.

It was a cool morning and the hot sun had yet to do its damage. Plus, the trees acted as a shade. Whenever the wind blew, the morning air felt nice as it brushed against her skin. She wore her hair in a tight braid and had it slung over the front of her shoulder. To keep it from falling out, she tied it and the end with a white cloth that had been ripped from another piece of clothing.

As she was left to wander the forest on her own, it left her with many things to think about.  
Senku was the first to pop into her head. He was cute, perhaps too cute, that much she was willing to admit to herself. Looking at him gave her tummy funny feelings. But she hardly knew him and so flirting was out of the question.  
Was flirting even something she did?  
While others were slowly getting to know her, she was also getting to know herself. And somehow being around Senku had her doing and saying things she normally would have never thought of.  
Did they really not know each other from the past?  
Yae had learned just the evening before while she sat inside Chrome's hut, that Senku had woken up after 3700 years being trapped in stone. She thought maybe for sure it was the same for her too.

When Yae had awoken six months ago, she was not cased in stone, nor did she have remnants of it on her. Yet it was broken in many pieces all around her. There was only one logical explanation for that, and that was she, too, had been trapped in stone as well. There was no reason for her to think otherwise.

Suddenly, Yae stopped. A stone figure shown kneeling with her face in her hands was but a few feet from Yae. The female figure was that of an older woman, perhaps in her late thirties. The foliage was wrapped around her elegantly like a well put together present.  
The woman appeared to be crying, so Yae picked a purple flower nearby and placed in on top of the woman's stone head as a sign of respect.  
"There," said Yae. "You don't have to be sad anymore." The words were but a whisper as she spoke to the stoned statue.

It was at that moment Yae realized just how far out she had gone. Judging by the light of day, it was well past lunch, and surely Kohaku and the others were wondering where she was, so she hurried on back to the village. unfortunately, there were no new herbs to pick, but at least her trip out there was not all for nothing regarding the statue of the woman.

* * *

When she reached Chrome's hut she saw that he, Senku, and Kohaku were all together.  
"Oh! Yae come on over here!" Kohaku waved at her. Apparently, no one was worried where she had run off to, which she guessed was fine.  
"Tell me Senku," Chrome began. "How do we make this all curing medicine? We've gotta defeat Ruri's sickness!" He was bound and determined.  
Kohaku raised her fist. "I'll help in any way that I can if it means Ruri can get better!"  
Yae was excited that they were already starting. "Count me in!"  
The look on Senku's face went from a firm and serious look, to almost menacing. He grinned devilishly.  
Chrome leaned in to whisper to Kohaku and Yae. "I betcha he's planning to save Ruri as part of some sleazy scheme."  
And Kohaku said, "I can't decide if he's a gentleman or a slimeball. I guess he's just logical, but..."  
They both looked at Yae now to see if she had anything to say on the matter.  
"Uh...something tells me we'll never figure out exactly what it is he's thinking. But if I had to take a guess, I say world domination." She laughed nervously.  
"Hey," said Senku. "The kingdom of science is no joke."  
"We gathered that," Kohaku told him.  
Yae smiled. "C'mon, Senku, tell us what we need."  
Senku smirked. "Ready to get down to business, I see. I like that."  
Without another moment to lose, Senku grabbed a stick and began to draw.  
"The kingdom of science is going to be making an antibiotic."  
Yae nodded. "Right. It's the wonder drug that kills bacteria infecting a person."  
Kohaku and Chrome side-glanced her, surprised.  
"How do you know that?" Kohaku asked.  
Yae scratched the back of her head. "Uh, I don't know. Just bringing up the topic suddenly made me remember something." She looked away from her two friends and shyly looked down at her feet. A few seconds later she glanced up at Senku and saw him smiling approvingly at her.  
_That's right_, thought Senku. _You're getting it. _He then cleared his throat and continued talking. "It has saved hundreds of millions of lives ever since it was discovered in the early..."  
"Twentieth-century!" Yae beamed.  
Again, Kohaku and Chrome stared at her.  
Yae waved a hand in front of her face. "I think I heard about it in a story once..." Her nervous voice trailed off.  
Senku rushed in to break the thick air apart that seemed to be devouring Yae. "Yae is right. And anyway, we can't do blood tests. We have no idea what Ruri's disease even is. But it's worth trying it anyway."  
Chrome and Kohaku seemed pumped now more than ever.  
"All right! Let's get on it right away!" Chrome shouted.  
"What do we need?" Kohaku's eyes gleamed with determination.  
Yae cut in. "I imagine we're missing all kinds of stuff."  
"That's right Yae." Said Senku. "Now pay close attention, you guys."

Senku went on, drawing out a detailed display of everything they would need and where they could get it. Penicillin was one of the things he brought up a few times, and it too was familiar to Yae. Hearing senku go on about medicine, she somehow knew a little about the topics he was going over and explaining.  
Kohaku cut him off in the middle of his spiel. "Hang on, Senku. Living things? Rocks? How would make a cure with those?"  
"Penicillin is made from green mold...or so I hear," Yae said a bit under her breath.

This time Chrome and Kohaku didn't quite catch what she said, but Senku did. "Ah, that's a smart Yae. It's the more famous one." He told everyone. Senku continued, telling them that it's a crazy game of chance. By luck, they'd have to stumble upon super green mold and how it would be ten billion times more powerful. "Meanwhile, the stone route, making sulfa drugs, will make insane amounts of diligence and manpower, but even in the stone world, we'll land on the drug, ten billion percent."  
"Then the answer is obvious." Chrome suddenly said.  
"You get it, don't you? We're neither Gods nor geniuses. We crawl on the ground, making everything step by step." Senku finished drawing his weird map of everything they needed, telling them they would be taking the stone route, and it excited Yae very much.  
"Let's start early tomorrow morning," Kohaku suggested. "It's already getting late in the day."  
"Kohaku's right. Let's make a more detailed list of everything we will need." Said Yae, eyeing Senku's drawings. "No offense, Senku, but these drawings look a little silly."  
Senku shrugged. "I'm a scientist, not an artist."  
Yae chuckled. "It would seem so." And she smiled.

While Chrome and Kohaku went on with their daily routines and also prepping for their early start in the morning, Yae lingered near where Senku was. She was still holding her basket and decided to set it down gently and walk over to Senku's map. She peered down at the squiggly lines, thinking to herself.  
"Is there anything you need to prepare for in tomorrows excursion?" Senku suddenly popped up beside her.  
"Ah! No, not really." She pointed lazily over at her basket. "Maybe just that so I can carry our items."  
Senku crossed his arms, smirking again. "If we get lucky, I'm sure you'll need more than just that basket to carry everything."  
Yae looked down at her feet, suddenly very shy again. "Yeah, I hope we find everything."  
Senku cocked his head to the side. "You okay?"  
Hearing him say this forced Yae to look up at him again. "I'm okay. I just hope we can find a cure soon."  
_Oh shit_! Senku thought. _Not a chance in hell is that all she's concerned about. She's lost her damn memories for fuck sake_! He stepped closer. "Are you sure that's all that's on your mind?"  
Yae blushed, her tummy flipping a hundred times. "Y-yeah! I mean..." Her voice trailed off.  
Senku rested his hands on his hips, leaning further in, eyes narrowing. "Yae...?" He wanted to help his classmate in any way he could.  
Yae put her arms behind her back. "I'm worried about my memories. What if its better not to know? What if something really bad happened?"  
Senku stood up straighter, his arms crossed again. "I'm one billion percent sure that's not the case." A devious grin crept upon his face. "Perhaps we just need to hit you on the head really hard." He took another step forward and ruffled her hair.  
"AH! Senku, stop that!" She was overwhelmingly flustered now. Senku was touching her and she couldn't understand why she liked and hated it at the same time. Her face flushed tomato red.  
All the mad scientist could do was a laugh. "Go on now. See what you can gather for tomorrow." He smiled at her.  
"Y-yes, Senku sir!" Yae saluted him, eyes squeezed shut and her face still hot.  
Senku laughed. "Oh, so it's sir now." He teased.  
When Yae stood frozen in place, Senku spread his feet apart and raised his arms. "Better hurry before I do more than mess up your hair." He laughed evilly, all for good fun, of course.  
Yae yelped. "Okay! You've proved your point. See you later, Senku!" She grabbed her basket and bolted for the bridge.

Senku watched her trail off into the village, the look on his face serious again. _You're already making this easier, Yae. Don't you worry about your memories. Even if they are bad, I'll be here to help with that. Taiju and Yuzuriha are there somewhere, and I'm ten billion percent sure they'll help you too. _

Later that night, Kohaku, Chrome, and Yae included, all joined Senku outside the village again.  
"Are you serious? Damn! The planet is that one that's moving? Not us?" Chrome was fanboying again over the news.  
"Yep, that's right?" Senku told him.  
Kohaku scoffed. "That doesn't make sense. Why am I not being flung off this branch then?"  
"That's simple," began Yae. "It's called gravity."  
Chrome went on. "I always thought it was weird how the stars stayed in the same place."  
Senku sat up and pointed at the sky. "That's the North star. It's a ridiculously useful star that's ten billion percent true North."  
Yae leaned her head to one side. "Are you sure?" She gave the North star a good look.  
"It seems a bit off true north," Kohaku said.  
Now Senku stood, picking at his ear. "It can't be. It's within the margin of error." And then, his eyes shot open. "The Earth's axis is shifting!"  
"Hmm," Yae stood up brushing the dirt from her bottom. "It would seem the Earth has tilted slightly in the last 3700 years."  
Senku's mouth gaped open. "It's currently 5,379 AD."  
"Your North star has moved, Senku." Yae teased.  
Senku gave her a short laugh. "That's Senku sir to you." He then went on to mutter to himself about how a true scientist would laugh at his inaccuracy. "I'm such a loser."  
Yae walked up and patted him on the back. "You're not a loser, Senku."  
"Yae's right," Kohaku said. "We've learned a lot from already."  
Senku sighed. "I'm not saying that to put myself down. I think of myself as being so rational. I just couldn't keep up on this scale. That's all." And then he stopped and turned to the others to ask a very important question: "How did you know that the ex-North star isn't true north?"  
Naturally, Chrome's eyes lit up like a torch. He was quick about getting himself a bucket of water, a leaf, and a peculiar looking rock. "Ooh! So even the great Senku doesn't know what this rock is. I happened to find this crazy looking rock on top of a bald mountain!" He demonstrated how the rock always pointed true north while sitting atop the leaf.  
"A magnet." Senku and Yae said together.  
Chrome whined. "Of course you know of it! Damn it!"  
Kohaku jumped down from the tree. "Honestly, you two are too much alike." She said in regards to Senku and Yae finishing sentences.  
Senku ignored this as he was too wrapped up in what Chrome had shown him. "Good going, Chrome. We have magnets."

That following morning, The four of them made their way to a stream. It was a good start and location to find what they needed.  
Kohaku and Chrome were the first to take off their clothes. Yae was surprised how nonchalant they were about it and glanced over at Senku who was starting to take his top off; he had already kicked off his shoes.  
Yae's face flushed red again. Why did this keep happening to her? And it only happened when it involved Senku. Chrome or any other male in the village did nothing to mush up her insides. And now, Senku was off running with Chrome, jumping in.  
"If you're not comfortable enough, that's okay." Kohaku told Yae.  
Yae shook her head. "No, I can do it too! I need to help as well!" She slipped off her dress and kicked off her shoes. Her top to cover her breasts looked similar to Kohaku's. It was on good and tight and would never slip off, but she felt an overabundance of cool air tickle her skin now. "All right, here I go!" She said.  
"What about your pants?" Kohaku noticed her shy friend wasn't yet completely unclothed.  
"Uh...I'm taking baby steps." She laughed nervously. _Besides_, she thought, _those markings on my lower belly and hips...I don't want to draw that sort of attention to myself. _  
Yae hoisted up her pants further to cover any last bit of the markings on her belly. Now she was ready.

As Yae and Kohaku made their way into the water, this posed as a perfect opportunity for Senku to get a good look at Yae for any cracks or marks. He tried not to make himself obvious as he continued to steal glances at his younger classmate.  
_Where the hell are those damn markings_! He cursed to himself as his staring became more intense. _If she does have any, perhaps they're hidden underneath those leggings of hers. If I could somehow_...Senku shook his head. _What the fuck am I thinking? Finding a way to pull off Yae's leggings is not a priority right now. We are out here to find a cure damn it!_  
Senku splashed some water on his face help keep himself cool.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over Senku as he was bent down looking in the water. It was Kohaku.  
"Having some trouble finding what you need, Senku? Or is something suddenly on your mind? You seem distracted." She was almost glaring at him as if she had caught him in the act of staring at Yae.  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Senku stood up.  
Kohaku was now mere inches from his face. "I'll pummel you to the ground if you ever get any dirty intentions toward Yae." She whispered to him. "She was my friend first."  
Senku scoffed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever." He shrugged and went back to searching.  
"OH! I found one!" Yae raised a magnet into the air. She seemed mighty proud of herself.  
Before walking away, Kohaku pointed two fingers at herself before quickly pointing them at Senku. The look was almost murderous.

As they continued to collect the magnets it sent Senku off into another bluster. "We're finally taking the first step on the road to the kingdom of science."  
"There he goes again." Chrome said.  
Senku didn't care though. He was having way too much fun. "The curtain is rising on the age of iron! Now that's exhilarating."  
Chrome suddenly groaned, flopping on his butt near the edge of the stream. "I need a break."  
"That does sound nice." Yae agreed.  
"I'm not tired yet, so I'll keep on looking." Said Kohaku.

The boys went on to talk about how most of the people in the village were like gorillas.  
"Kohaku is more of an agile gorilla."  
Kohaku whipped her head around. "I told you, I am not a gorilla! Also, I'm doing all the collecting here! Don't you think you boys have sat your asses long enough? We don't have enough manpower!" She whacked them upside the head.  
"Sorry." They said together.

Their break was short-lived only because there wasn't enough time in the day to do everything, and they needed all the time they could get.  
"Kohaku's right though. This is going to take all day." Senku said.  
"Should I get someone from the village to help out?" Chrome offered.  
"Not a good idea," Kohaku told them. "As far as the villagers know, you two are both suspicious sorcerers."  
"She's right." Yae suddenly said. "No one will probably come to help."  
Senku sighed, wishing there was an easier way to go about this.

Suddenly, something upstream was making its way toward them.  
"What is that thing?" asked Yae as she put one hand over her eyes to block the sun to get a better look.  
"A watermelon?" Senku said in question.  
Yae took a few steps forward. "I think you're right."

The damn thing suddenly came to a stop and floated there for a few seconds before abruptly popping out. It scared Yae so much she screeched and fell backward.  
Senku reacted as quick as he could, jumping forward to save the poor girl from a rocky fall. Already Senku had stubbed his toe on the stones hiding beneath the water. If anyone were to fall, it would surely hurt.  
_I'm one billion percent sure I can stop her fall! _Senku was overly confidante, which was a mistake.

Senku slipped on mud, his hands automatically looking for a place to steady himself, but all he found was a handful of Yae getting tangled up with him. In the end, they both fell into the water. Senku's head went underwater for a few seconds while Yae landed on top.  
"Oh no!" Yae lifted herself as much as she could to allow Senku to lift his head above water level.  
He gasped. "Shit! That fucking hurt! Ouch!"  
"I'm sorry!" Yae squirmed.  
"It's fine..." He was about to say more, but the fact that Yae's breasts were squished against his chest made him lose his train of thought. _Her breasts are wet and pressed against me. This is not what I had in mind. I'm so screwed. What if she thinks I did this on purpose? _He was in such a frantic state that he hadn't noticed where his hands were gripping out of frustration.  
"Ah...Senku. Please let go of me." Yae's face flushed a crimson color. Her eyes were squeezed shut again out of embarrassment.  
Senku gulp. "Ah!" He quickly let go of her bottom, which was also wet and soft to the touch.

Yae hopped up and took a few paces back. Her heart was pounding. _Oh God...Senku touched me! I'm not even upset about it, but I feel as if though I should be. Why I am I feeling this way_? She lightly gasped as a thought occurred to her. _Do I...like Senku...in that way? Is that why I always feel so mushy around him? Oh no!_  
"SENKU." Kohaku cracked her knuckles and gave him one good pound over the head.  
"Ouch! What the hell, Kohaku?" He stood up fast. He was about to give her a piece of his mind until the watermelon figure finally said something.  
"Sorry I scared you."  
"Suika!" Kohaku said. "What are you doing here?"  
Suika held up a magnet.  
"Did you follow us here?" Kohaku walked up and asked.  
Chrome suddenly bolted forward. "Suika! You took my magnet!" He looked at it more closely. "Oh! Iron sand."  
"I want to help." Suika said. "I can never make myself useful to anyone because I have this thing on my head. That's not going to change, even when I grow up."  
Yae felt bad for the poor kid. She had seen Suika around the village and had yet to have any interactions. "Aw, Suika, that's not true."  
This made the little one feel a somewhat better. "So if there's ever anyone in need..."  
"Yeah, yeah. I get it." Senku told her. "I appreciate it. The Kingdom of Science doesn't turn anyone away."  
Yae patted Suika on the head. "We need all the help we can get."  
Senku went on. "A shrimp like you would be ten billion times better at collecting sand." He placed the magnet back in Suika's hands. "We're counting on you, Suika." And he walked away to find more sand.

Suika was taken by him. She thought he was being so nice because he didn't ask why she wore a watermelon over her face.  
Kohaku sighed. "You really don't know Senku. You're glorifying him too much."  
It also didn't help matters much when Chrome let his two senses in as well. "He just doesn't care what you look like, as long as you're useful."  
This didn't seem to bother Suika much as she suddenly took off. "I'm going to collect all the iron sand!"

The rest of the day proceeded as normally as possible, except for bringing up the story about Momotaro.  
This was also familiar to Yae. So much so, that it started to make her worry. Hearing them continue to talk about it only queued her interests more. Somehow, someway, she would have to talk to Senku alone and be more forward with him; ask him if there was any way possible that she was like him.  
Apparently, Ruri knew more stories much like this one. Perhaps she could also ask Ruri if she knew anything.  
Senku then mentioned something about being "Low-key" interested in Ruri. This set Chrome into a slight panic.  
"What do you mean you're "low-key" interested in Ruri. What does that mean, Senku?"  
Kohaku slowly inched her way over to Senku. "Senku, Senku, Senku..." She whispered into his ear. "Chrome seems to have a crush on Ruri."  
Senku looked over at Yae to see if she too had any knowledge of this. She nodded.  
Senku smirked. "So that's what it was. Here we go."

The three of them started to walk off.  
"Chrome is such a child." Began Kohako. "I like how oblivious he is."  
Chrome yelled at the top of his lungs. "What are you guys talking about? Stop calling me a child!"  
No one batted an eye at Chome's bickering though and walked on. It was time to move on to the next step!

Now that they had plenty of sand, it was time to start mixing. Senku went through all the steps, naturally. It seemed easy, but really, it was going to be much more work than either Chrome, Kohaku, or Suika thought.  
"Senku is right," Yae said. "It takes 700 degrees to burn wood, but with iron, we need at least 1,500 degrees. Please don't ask how I know. I just do."  
"That's not even close to enough." Said Kohaku. "What do we need to do?"  
Senku stared at her for a moment and then said with his lips pursed out. "You blow like hell!"  
"Right," said Yae. "We need to give it as much oxygen as we can!"  
Senku suddenly tossed everyone a weird looking bag. "We'll use that to blow air."  
Like that, everyone started pumping as fast as they could.  
"I can't take much more of this. My arms are going to fall off," whined Kohaku.  
"We've been doing this for so long, I'm afraid I'll be doing it in my sleep, and then my arms really will fall off!" Yae groaned.  
"Don't you give up on me, you two. Keep pumping!"  
Suika was the first to collapse. Poor thing had given it her all.  
Kohaku looked over at her. "Don't push yourself, Suika! Take a break!" She told her through ragged breaths.

One by one, everyone eventually flopped to the ground. With the sun going down and a cool breeze coming through, it made everyone sleepy. The heat of the fire had been lost.

Yae was the first to wake. She was on her side facing away from the others, however, something grazed her backside. She cocked her head back to see Senku mere centimeters from her. Had she really fallen asleep so close to Senku? Was she that tired from pumping air that she passed out as soon as her head hit the ground?  
Senku lifted his arm, flopping it over Yae's side and pulled himself forward, his chest pressed snugly against her back. Yae could hear her heart thumping loudly deep in her chest. She shamefully liked Senku holding her. Maybe the reason why was because there was someone from her past just like him, and subconsciously Senku reminded her of him. But that wasn't the case at all. It was definitely Senku himself she had feelings for, yet her memory of that fact was lost.

Quite suddenly, Senku groped Yae as he mumbled some kind of scientific formula in his sleep.  
"They're perfect." He purred into the back of her neck as he said this in his sleep, massaging her breasts.  
Unable to take anymore, Yae elbowed him in the gut, waking him up.  
Senku hacked a cough. "What the hell was that?"  
Yae scurried away. She didn't want Senku to realize she had been the one who hit him.  
His coughing and wheezing woke everyone else up.  
"Let's check out that iron!" Chrome said.  
"All right, hold up." Senku managed to catch his breath and grabbed his make-shift hammer. He smashed open the oven they used to bake the iron, but much to their dismay, there was no change.  
"We need more manpower!" Senku said. "We need more help from the villagers. What can we do?"  
Yae thought for a moment. "Senku, what's that old saying again: food is the way into a man's heart or something like that? Let's cook something the villagers have never tried before."  
Senku thought about it for a few milliseconds. "Sure. What the hell do we have to lose? Let's try it!"  
Suika hoped up and down. "That should work. There are a few gluttons in the village who I know would love to try something different!"  
Senku sniggered. "Then it's settled."  
"You're actually going to cook for them?" Kohaku said in disbelief.  
"What does that have to do with science?" Chrome was curious.  
"It has everything to do with science. Food is science." He went on to talk about the fish they ate every day and where it all came from.  
"Foxtail millet." Yae blurted.  
Senku's eyes narrowed and he smiled fiendishly. "That might work. We might be able to make the worlds most delicious dish."

Kohaku and Yae were quick about gathering a giant number of foxtail millet. With a swift swing of their daggers, it was more than easy to gather however much they wanted.  
"We're going to make gourmet survival food from scratch." Senku was getting excited again as he started to beat the grain over a smoothed out rock. "Exhilarating!"  
"We aren't actually going to eat this, are we?" Kohaku seemed rather unsure of herself. "I think I'll pass."  
"Oh, c'mon," said Yae. "Give it a try."  
"We're whacking the hell out of the husk so we _can_ eat it. Foxtail millet is ten billion percent grain. It's a primitive millet."  
Kohaku scrunched her nose. "Well, it looks nasty."

Soon, everything was coming together.  
Yae watched Senku crack open a few bird eggs and drop them into the boiling pot. It was already starting to smell so good. The scent of all the ingredients mixed sent an unusual sensation through her body, like she had made this before, and perhaps with someone she cared for.  
"We had a name for this stupidly good scientific food 3700 years ago." Senku began. "We called it 'Ramen'."

_Ramen_, thought Yae. _That's right. I've eaten ramen before. How could I have possibly forgotten such a wonderful dish? What other wonderful things have I forgotten? _  
The sound of Chrome's voice broke Yae from her mini reminiscent session. "I'll go first to see if its face. It's the duty of a sorcerer not to be afraid to try anything new!" He took his first big bite. Kohaku followed suite.  
"It's so good!" Chrome shouted.  
Suika was next to fall in love with the chewy, wet goodness. And before long, Kohaku had also taken a liking to it, even it was foxtail millet.

Senku looked over at Yae. She too had yet to try their homemade ramen. "You ready? Let's dig in!" The first slurp sent Senku putting his bowl down. "This isn't proper at all!" He picked his head up to look over at Yae who struggled to eat.  
She forced a smile as she gulped down her bite of ramen. "It's not that bad, Senku. Honestly."  
"This will have to do," Senku said. "The others seem to like it."  
"Foxtail millet it is then!" Yae slurped some of the broth.  
"You're still eating that?" Senku asked her.  
"I'm hungry." She said in mid-chew.  
"Then let's not waste any more time." Senku stood up. "Everyone, get ready! We're about to make history with the village!"

Yae stared at him with admiration. How could she not like him? He was insanely smart, and perhaps too smart for his own good, but that's what Yae respected about him. He never gave up, and she wouldn't either.

**I'm watching the dub on funimation with my fiance. I would be further ahead, but I don't want to watch it without him. So every week after a new dub episode comes out, be sure to keep a look out for an update. Follow the story or fav it so you don't miss out!  
Also, pretty please leave a review!**


	4. Chapter four

Music rang through the air as Yae, Senku, and the others made their way to Ishigami village. With them, they had their cart that was full of the ramen they had all worked so hard to prepare.  
It wasn't just the music that pulled the villagers from their homes, but the smell as well. There was a long line of them making their way across the bridge.  
Yae was beside Senku, helping him prep the ramen. By the time the villagers reached them, they had five bowls lined up, ready for anyone to take.  
"One foxtail millet ramen!" Senku brought forth a giant bowl to show off his amazing creation.  
The villagers were more than eager to try out the new dish.  
"May I have some too?" asked Ruby. "And are you the one who made this tasty food? OH! What kind of girls do you like?"  
Yae caught wind of this naturally. She was standing close enough to hear the young village girl. Yae knew this shouldn't have bothered her, but it did. "WE made this tasty food!" Yae chimed in."  
Senku, of course, was completely oblivious to the fact that she was flirting with him, that or he just didn't care. His response to her: "A girl who can pump a ton of oxygen into my furnace."  
Yae held back a laugh while Kohaku commented on how Senku wasn't one to make small talk.

Chrome, on the other hand, was busy handing out more bowls. He approached Ginro and Kinro, trying to get them to try the ramen. Ginro seemed more than excited to try, however, Kinro held him back, going on about how rules were rules.  
Even Suika was busy handing out food. Everyone was so excited to eat the ramen, which gave Yae hope for Senku. She was surprised how easy it was for her to become a part of them, but for Senku, it was the opposite. She felt bad for him.  
"The response is amazing," Kohaku said walking up to the cart. "Everyone's coming over."  
Senku chuckled. "That's not a problem. It only means I can work them that much harder." The look on his face was questionable.  
"What a sketchy face," Kohaku said. "Careful, Yae. This one is definitely a weirdo."  
Yae was about to say something back, but the voice of someone she had never heard before stopped her.  
"Ah! This is making me thirsty for a cola."  
This caught Senku's attention as well as he stopped mid-preparation of a new bowl. "Huh? Cola?"  
Yae tapped her chin with her finger. "A cola? Does he mean, like a soda?" She slowly turned to Senku. "That's what it is, right?"  
Senku was stiff.  
"Senku, do you know him?" Kohaku asked.  
"No." He slowly said.  
The look in Kohaku's eyes changed suddenly. "I get it now. He's an enemy."

Simply by saying the word, Kohaku, Ginro, and Kinro raised their weapons at the newcomer.  
"Answer truthfully, or I'll slit your throat here and now." Kohaku warned him. "Are you one of those long-haired man's underlings?"  
The strange man was silent for a moment, and then he said, "Ya know, I wouldn't mind being taken out by a cute girl like you."  
Hearing this annoyed Yae. How dare he mock the fierce Kohaku like that? She raised a fist, but Senku held her hand down. He only shook his head as he glanced over at her.  
"But," Continued the man. "I think you have me confused with someone else." At last, he lifted his head and looked over at Senku. "I don't know anything about a long-haired man." He smirked. "I've been all alone ever since I woke up from being petrified."  
Yae lightly gasped as Senku calm, and collected attitude remained the same.  
"I thought I'd seen your face somewhere." Senku grinned and crossed his arms. "You're Asagiri Gen."  
Kohaku whipped her head around. "So you do know him."  
"Nope. Not at all." Senku told her. "He's a magician who used to write shitty psychology books."  
The man named Asagiri seemed surprised. "Oh? You've read my work? I'm so happy to hear that. Calling it "shitty" hurts, though. You can call me a mentalist." He then apologized for taking the ramen. "And will you please lower your weapons?" He went on about how scared he was; that he was close to dropping the bowl of ramen.  
This caught Ginro's attention and the young boy grabbed it right away. "I'll hold on to it for you!"  
Kohaku did not seem convinced, though, and neither did Senku or Yae.  
"I was out looking for food when suddenly I started to smell the nostalgic scent of ramen, and I wandered over.  
Senku chuckled. "Sure, whatever. I'll take your word for it."  
Yae looked at the young genius with surprise. "S-Senku?"  
"Either way," Senku went on. "There's no such thing as free lunch. Everyone who has had ramen has work to do." He grinned.

Naturally, Senku took a handful of the villagers and made them pump air into the furnace. They had upgraded their tools in terms of blowing air, getting the fire hotter as a result.  
Senku walked in a circle, watching all of them work to see if they were doing the job properly. He stopped by Asagiri last and asked how Taiju and Yuzuriha were doing.  
Asagiri slowed his pumping. "Oh, I see. You thought you could get me to fess up while working my ass off. You have guts, pulling tricks like that on a mentalist. Don't worry, though. Taiju has an endless supply of strength. But of course, you already know that, don't you Senku?" He turned around, giving Senku a creepy grin.  
Yae immediately put herself in between the two. "Who do you think you are, talking to Senku like that?"  
"He's definitely with the long-haired man." Kohaku stepped forward as well. "Should I kill him?"  
"Hold it, idiot." Senku put his hand on Yae's shoulder, forcing her to take a step behind him, and faced Asagiri once more. "You were ten billion percent certain that I was trying to make you talk. Why would you suddenly decide to admit that you're working for Tsukasa?"  
"The tides have turned now that I've seen this." At least Asagiri was right about that. The tides had most definitely changed.

* * *

That night, after Asagiri had scampered away from Chrome's hut, Yae made her way to the top where Senku sat looking up at the stars.  
Coming out here while it was so dark, even with the torches lit, was a struggle for Yae. With being practically blind, she had to be extra careful. Unfortunately, she slipped while trying to climb atop the straw roof and fell flat on her bottom.  
Senku immediately turned and hurried down after her. "Hey, you okay?" He knelt in front of her.  
Yae rubbed her bum. "I'm fine, thank you." She looked up at him shyly. For once, she was grateful for the dark for she was surely blushing with regards to Senku's concern for her. "I can't see very well in the dark because of my terrible eyes."  
"Don't worry about it. At least you didn't get seriously hurt. It could have been worse." Suddenly, a small breeze picked up, making the flames standing near the hut dance. Senku automatically glanced down at something far more generous than the heat of the flames, though. Yae hadn't worn her leggings that day due to the heat, leaving her bottom open for free-range for any pervert to take a glance. Senku gulped, not being able to help himself. Yae was still on her bottom, legs slightly spread apart, and revealing the thin layer of cloth that covered her private. Senku would be lying to himself he said he didn't catch a glimpse of her panties.  
"Ah!" Yae quickly put her legs together.  
Senku turned his head, trying to make it seems as if there was something more interesting to look at. He picked at his ear. "So, uh, what brings you out here? If you wanted to talk to Chrome, he's sleeping already."  
"It wasn't him I wanted to talk to." She tried to stand but fell flat on her ass again. A small pain shot through her ankle. "Ouch! I seemed to have hurt my ankle a bit. Shoot..."  
"It's okay. We can sit here and talk. I am the one you wanted to see, right?"  
Yae nodded and scooted over to hang her legs over the ledge. Senku joined her. "I don't trust that Asagiri guy."  
Senku smirked and shook his head. "Neither do I."  
Yae was surprised. "Really? You seemed to have trusted him earlier today."  
"That was just me putting up a front. I want him to believe that I trust him."  
"Oh, I see now. Good thinking."

It was quiet between the two for a few moments. They sat there in perfect silence looking up at the stars. Yae was sure Senku was coming up with a perfect plan to get himself into the village and learn more about Asagiri Gen; he never stopped thinking.

Yae, on the other, hand could only think about Senku. There was more she wanted to talk to him about. "Senku," she said slowly. "There's something else I want to talk to you about—something that's been on my mind for a while now."  
"Hmm? What's that?" He asked never taking his eyes off the night sky.  
"Am I...like you?"  
This time Senku looked at her and he was the one surprised. "Yae...?"  
"What I mean to say is: when I woke up, there was broken pieces of stone all around me."  
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"  
Yae put a hand to her chest and clutched her dress. "I was scared."  
"Why would you be scared? Yae, there is nothing for you to be scared about." He scooted closer. "Is there anything else I should know about?"  
Yae looked at him nervously. "W-when you first came to the village, you called out to me as if you knew me from before." She paused. "W-were we friends before turning to stone?"  
Senku could no longer look her in the eyes. Now all he felt was guilt. "We were classmates."  
"Classmates?"  
"But to answer your question, no, we were never friends." He said feeling somewhat ashamed.  
Yae clutched her dress tighter now, but not because she was nervous. It was because she was sad all of a sudden. "Are you sure we weren't friends?"  
Senku shook his head. "If it makes you feel any better, you were a great classmate to go up against in terms of study. I admired that about you—your brilliance to take on any subject in school. Honestly, it was a challenge for me going up against you."  
"You...admired me?" Yae was shocked.  
Senku smirked. "Yeah, and sometimes you almost won." He laughed a little.  
Yae's smile faded suddenly. "This also means that everyone I knew before...is gone."  
Senku's grin was stripped from his face when she said this. "Unfortunately, yes. But the same goes for me too. Let's not dwell on that, though. We are still here for a reason. Remember that."  
Yae forced a smile. "I guess you're right. I'll do my best!" She suddenly yawned.  
"Uh-oh. Looks like someone is getting tired." Senku teased as he started to ruffle her hair again.  
"Ah! Senku stop!" She tried to push herself away from him and in the process almost slipped off the ledge.  
"Woah Careful!" Senku grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest to stop her from falling.

The two sat there for a moment or two, quietly holding on to one another from the sudden event that could have ended badly.  
"Um, Senku. You can let go now." Her voice was muffled from her face pressed into Senku's chest. However, she was enjoying his scent and the feel of his taunt muscles underneath his clothes.  
"Oh, right, yeah. Sorry." He slowly let her go.  
She yawned again. "I should head back though. It's getting late, and we have a big day ahead of us." She struggled to stand and balanced on one foot as she leaned a hand against the wall of the hut.  
Senku hopped to his feet. "Lemme help you out."  
"N-no, that's okay. I can manage."  
Senku scoffed. "The hell you can. You're practically blind!" He turned his back to her and got down on one knee. "C'mon. Up ya go!"  
Yae was unsure at first, but if Senku wanted to carry her down the ladder, she would indulge him.

Yae carefully positioned herself on top of Senku's back. She wrapped her arms around him, but not too much to accidentally choke him, and locked her legs around his waist. "I'm ready." She said.  
"Good," Senku was slow about making his way down, and they both let out a sigh of relief when he reached the ground without any trouble. He held on her to thighs securely so there would be no chance of her slipping off. A weird sensation was suddenly overcoming him. Feeling Yae's breasts pressed against his back made him feel good. He enjoyed her tender touch. And her legs, he could tell she made an effort to shave whereas, most of the females in the village chose not to. Either they didn't care, or that was something not everyone took into consideration in terms of being hygienic.  
"Senku," Yae whispered into his ear. "There's one last thing."  
"Yes?" said Senku as he made his way over to the bridge where Kinro and Ginro still stood guard.  
"Thank you for helping, I mean, about my memories."  
"Of course. It's not a problem."  
"And I want you to know that it's okay if I never remember."  
Senku stopped walking. "What do you mean it's okay? The hell it is. Yae, you're incredibly smart. I need your help?"  
"Is that the only reason you're helping?"  
"What? No, of course not! Please, Yae, don't insult me."  
Yae rested her head on his back. "I'm sorry."  
Senku groaned. "Don't be." He started walking again. "I would probably say the same thing if I was you."  
"Hold it!" Said Kinro as Senku neared the bridge.  
"Shut up!" Senku told him. "Yae hurt her ankle. I need one of you to bring her back to the village...unless you don't mind me doing it, then I would be more than happy to go all the way."  
This made Kinro urk. "No. Not happening!" He scooped Yae into his arms. "I'll do it. Ginro, stand guard."  
"Right!" The young blonde said.  
Senku groaned again. "I'll see you all in the morning." He yawned, feeling the weight of his tiredness finally get to him. "My ass is going to bed."

* * *

The following morning everyone was together. They successfully melted the iron! They all watched in amazement as Senku poured the hot liquid out of the pot.  
"My job is to confirm that you're dead," Asagiri told Senku.  
"If you're to tell this Tsukasa that Senku is alive, he would come after him and try to kill him, wouldn't he?" Yae cut in. Her ankle was feeling much better with the help of a bandage.  
"That was my plan," Asagiri admitted. "But if you complete your iron weapons, there's no telling who would win." But before he could go on, Chrome suddenly shouted.  
"Finally!" He held up the iron block that had finally cooled.  
"Oh wow!" Kohaku's eye's lit up.  
Meanwhile, Asagiri stood idly by and watched. "Senku is dead. That's what I'll tell him, and as a result, I would spare you."  
Senku chuckled. "I would greatly appreciate it if you did that."  
"I don't have any policy at all. I'm the worlds most shallow man. If I can live happily with cute girls, that's all I need." He eyed Yae especially while she was busy staring at the iron in amazement with the others.  
Senku narrowed his eyes at him. "She won't be a part of your nasty daydreams. I can promise you that."  
"Ooh? Do you have your eyes on her then?"  
Senku scoffed. "She's my friend and a good person. I won't let you go spoiling her."  
Asagiri raised a brow. "Ah, so you do fancy her." He Chuckled. "Either way, whether you die or Tsukasa, it really doesn't matter to me. I'm going to win, no matter who I have to get rid of."

Suika suddenly made her way over, saying something about how ramen sounds better than a harem.  
Yae caught wind of this and clasped her hands over Suika's ears. "You don't need to know anything about that, little one."  
"Ramen is nice." Asagiri agreed. "But not on a hot day like this. At the end of the day, I'd rather side with Tsukasa."  
Hearing this, Kohaku made her way over. "Asagiri Gen, was it? " She quickly held her dagger in his face. "Men like you are best left dead."  
"So scary!"  
"No," Senku said. "If we don't let him go back, Tsukasa will come here himself, and then we'll be fucked." He laughed a little "Relax. Once you see what we can make with our beautiful iron, I'm ten billion percent sure you'll join our kingdom of science."  
"Oh? And what's that? Are you making swords or something?" Asagiri mocked.  
Senku turned, a smirk plastered on his face. "No, you dumb ass. A generator."

While Senku and Chrome disappeared into the hut, a flash of light shot across the sky, and the earth rumbled as a giant roar erupted from the clouds.  
"Oh great. A storm is coming." Said Kohaku.  
The rest of the villagers could be heard running for cover.  
"Shouldn't we take cover too?" Yae looked up at the sky not liking how it was looking for them. She then noticed Senku shaking. "Uh, Senku?"  
"No." Said Chrome. "We can use this lightning!"  
"You dumb ass!" Senku yelled. "This is the worst-case scenario! We aren't prepared at all!"  
"Ah, I see." Said Asagiri. "You're making a lightning generator, aren't you? There's no such thing, of course."  
Senku was deep in thought and ignored the sly man's comments. "Magnets. If I have magnets I can use that to make a generator. "  
Suika held up some of the sand they had gathered from before. "We can use this iron, can't we?"  
"She has a good point," Yae said.  
Senku sighed. "That stuff isn't strong enough. We'll have to catch the lightning with an iron rod, and make a high-power magnet with the power of science!"  
"We could put up a bunch of lightning rods." Yae pitched the idea.  
"Quickly!" said Senku. "We can't pass up this opportunity. Melt the copper. Also, Kohaku's shield is coated with lacquer. Bring it over!"  
Suika was quick about it and immediately handed it over to Senku. "Here you go!"  
"Good. Now coat the iron rod with it." Senku went on to make preparations for their science experiment. He had Kohaku carve a channel in the plank and then poured the melted copper into it.  
Everyone watched as Senku carefully wrapped the solidified copper around the iron.

It wasn't long after that three men from the village started making their way over the bridge.  
"Uh-oh. We've got trouble." Said Kohaku. "Magma doesn't listen to reason. We'll have to fight them!"  
"We're screwed if we go to the war against the village right now." Said Senku.  
"What should we do?" Said Yae.  
Asagiri sighed. "I guess I have no choice." He walked over to the men while the other watched him to a trick with a few flowers. He spat out a few fancy words and soon enough the men had turned around.  
Senku smirked. "Heh! Not bad for a fraud magician." He turned to the others. "Now, let's make our way to the top of that mountain!"  
"It's the perfect spot for lightning!" Said Chrome.  
"There's no better place! Quick, Chrome, set up the rod!"  
Their little group was not alone, though. Ginro and Kinro had made their way over to watch.

Just then, another bolt of lightning flashed.  
"It's getting closer!" Said Senku.  
"Shit! We don't have time to build a proper tower." Chrome was beginning to sound defeated.  
Kohaku cursed under breath. "If only there was something else we could stick into the ground."  
"Look!" Yae pointed at Kinro and Ginro.  
"Ah!" Kohaku sparked with enthusiasm. She was eyeing Kinro's golden spear.  
He gasped. "Anything but my spear!"  
But it was no use. Kohaku was speedy quick about taking it away from him and slammed it into the ground. Just as she finished, lightning hit the rod.  
Senku chuckled, pleased with his idea. "So the God of lightning descends."  
Everyone watched in awe as the rod glowed with tremendous light.  
Yae was sparked with hope_. If Senku can make something like this, then surely he can help me get my memories back. He's brilliant! _With that in mind, Yae hadn't noticed that she grabbed on to Senku's hand.  
Senku tore his gaze away from the rod for just a second. The feel of Yae's soft hand wrapped around his callused one unknowingly begged for his attention. Her eyes were filled with wonder as she stared forward, obviously taken by the sight.  
Unfortunately, before he let himself get any more comfortable, he pulled away and made his way over to the rod after the light had faded. He grabbed the rod, ready for the next step. "Electricity born with a bang. Now that get me excited!"  
"Yeah!" Chrome yelled and jumped for joy. "We have a magnet for a generator!"  
Kohaku then grabbed two parts of the magnets and tried to put them together. "Senku, we may have failed to make magnets! They won't go anywhere near each other!"  
For a moment, Senku seemed worried, but then he understood. He was about to explain, but Yae beat him to it.  
"I think you have it backward, Kohaku." She took one magnet and flipped it. The force of the two magnets coming together was so powerful and quick that it took both the girls by surprise. "Oh crap!"  
Chrome was fired up. "Now we can make that crazy electricity stuff!"  
"You're making a thermal generator, aren't you, Senku?" Asagiri said. "Wind turbines? Don't tell me you're going to make a nuclear reactor."  
Senku itched his ear again. "Muscle-powered generator." He simply said.  
"I should have known..."

With the help of more able bodies, they were able to melt more copper. The next step was to pound the hell out of it and make it into a circle. And while Senku lathered the copper in lacquer.  
Asagiri stood over him. "I can't help but ask what the hell happened to your face, Senku."  
"A lacquer rash." He told him.  
Yae rushed over. "Senku, you should have let me help."  
"No, I needed to do this myself."  
"You're so stubborn." She puffed her cheeks.  
Asagiri chuckled. "I see, I see."  
"I swear," said Yae. "What are we going to do with you?" But it was too late. The damage was done. There was no stopping Senku once he got started.

By the time they all finished, it was nearly dark; the sun was barely peeking over the horizon.  
"It's the kingdom of science's special dual wield hand-cranked generator!"  
"We have to spin those two at the same time?" Kohaku asked. "That's going to be hard."  
"We just need two really strong people to do it together!" Suika suddenly said.  
"We have to spin in perfect timing, or it will crumble to bits," Senku told them.  
"We'll need two people who can work in perfect sync." Said Yae. "Oh!"  
Kohaku smirked. "I get it. Let's go get 'em!"

"You lot again? What do you want this time?" Kinro asked.  
"Come check out our crazy-ass science machine!"  
"No way!" Said Kinro. "Why would we go?"  
Kohaku crossed her arms. "Stop being so stubborn. What are you not satisfied with?"  
Senku laughed. "He's obviously upset about losing his rod that we wrecked the shit out of."  
Asagrir stepped forward. "Man, technology is great, isn't it? Just think of all the amazing things you can make with it. With electricity we might even be able to repair that golden rod of yours."  
This brought Kinro into immediate attention. He was obviously interested now, no matter how much he tried to hide it. It was also impossible for Kinro to keep his flimsy words at bay. Kohaku made sure to take note of that. But it was enough to convince the two to help them out.

* * *

As night fell, Ginro and Kinro worked hard to make the generator work.  
"You can count on the brothers to be in perfect sync with each other," Kohaku said.  
Senku laughed. "Now that we have those two, the kingdom of science is really starting to take shape."  
"Is this plan of yours really going to work though?" Asagiri said.  
"Of course it will!" Said Yae, ready to give Asagiri a piece of her mind.  
Senku stepped foward though before she could. "This is a stem-roasted bamboo string. It'll work."

When they had built up enough energy, Senku and Chrome climbed to the top of his hut.  
"Be careful," Yae called out.  
"Don't worry," Senku told her. "There's no way we can screw up now."  
Yae watched the two with anticipation. They spoke quietly with each other, and before long, a bright light illuminated the surrounding area. It was if the night had suddenly turned into day. It was beautiful and breathtaking.  
Yae stared up Senku with admiration. She remembered their conversation from the night before. Before the stone age, she was Senku's classmate, and he admired her—Yae—of all the people whom Yae thought outranked her, it was she that Senku favored.  
And while she continued to gaze into the light, there was something else she remembered. A delicate female voice rang in the back of her mind: "Don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave, Yae."

The voice was soothing to Yae; a voice she didn't know she so yearned to hear again. But who was it? She couldn't remember.  
Suddenly, something hot trickled down her cheek. She was quick to wipe it away. Fortunately, everyone was so transfixed on the light that they hadn't noticed Yae shed a tear. There was no reason for her to cry, so why?

_There's only one thing I've ever wanted from you: the truth! _  
Who had said that? Could Yae have said those words, or was it someone else?

**If you're wondering why I have named the story what it is, it's because I was trying to think of a way that Senku would tell a girl that he liked her. And well, he's really good with numbers, so I assume a cheesy hidden note on a calculator may be one way he'd do it.**  
**Lemme know what you thought of this chapter. **  
**Like all of you, I am very excited about this story. I do have things planned for it but I can only take it so far until I watch more. **  
**Who knows what will happen!**


	5. Chapter five

Everyone gathered in Chrome's hut to speak about what they would do next. Asagiri Gin was still a problem they all had to agree upon and figure out how to deal with the situation. Along with the conversation, the topic of Tsukasa was brought up.  
"So you see, Suika, this man called Tsukasa is the one behind Senku's murder."  
Senku chuckled. "I'm not dead though."  
Chrome, of course, had to let his thoughts be heard and blurted out, "He's seriously bad news!"  
Yae was sitting beside Senku. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Senku, is all this true?" She was suddenly very scared for him.  
"Don't worry, Yae. I didn't tell you earlier because I didn't want you to worry."  
"Still..."  
"He wanted to stop scientific progress," Chrome went on. "And he didn't think twice about killing Senku to do it."  
"I told you, I'm not dead."  
Suika suddenly jumped to her feet. "So that Tsukasa person is a bad man, and Gen is with him? Then Gen is a bad person!"  
"Slow down there, Suika." Yae tried to calm her.  
"But wait...Gen saved us from Magma. He's gotta be a good person!"  
Senku smirked. "No. He's neither good not bad.  
"He's just a very shallow man," Kohaku said. She could no longer hold her tongue.  
Senku looked at the lioness seriously. "It doesn't matter if Asagiri Gen is a good or bad guy. We need him to be on the side of the Kingdom of science." Senku went on to let them in on Asagiri Gen's plan. "He's going to give Tsukasa a fake report saying I'm dead."  
"And you think we can win by doing that?" Yae didn't sound so sure.

Senku looked back over at Yae and stared at her for a few seconds. "What else can we do? Do you have a better idea?" He took his finger and bopped her nose.  
"Ah!" Yae swished Senku's hand away. "Not yet, but give me some time and I will."  
"You hear that Gen?" Said Chrome. "You saw it, didn't you? The electricity? The insane light of science? Who cares about who wins? Who gives a damn about whether Tsukasa or Senku has the edge? The Kingdom of science is just way more fun!"  
"My Chrome, you're a passionate young man. Too bad, though. I don't care what you do, Chrome. I'm the most superficial man on earth. All I care about is if anything will benefit me."

Hearing this angered Kohaku, and Senku and Yae had to keep her at bay.  
"Wait, Kohaku! Violence is not the answer!" Yae told her.  
"If you go after him now you might scare him," Senku said. "We don't need that kind of trouble right now."  
"Oh fine!" Kohaku huffed and sat back down.

* * *

While Asagiri Gen was off on his own, he started thinking back on when he first woke up in the stone world. Tsukasa was there, and he filled him in on the detail about what happened. Tsukasa was building an army, that much he was certain of, and he wasn't sure if telling Senku and his friends about that was a good idea right now. Besides, when he left, Tsukasa's army was still stone.  
Asagiri's mission was a simple one: find out if Senku still lived. But that wasn't all that Tsukasa ordered him to do.  
"Before you go," Tsukasa said. "There is one another person I would like you to keep an eye out for. It's alright if you don't find her, but I would consider her very important to my army. She's in no way strong like myself, but she has just as big of a brain as Senku."  
"Oh? And you think finding this girl she would side with you?"  
Tsukasa smiled. "If Senku is truly dead, and she is out there, then persuading her will be easy." He chuckled. "Who will she be able to turn to? She's smart like Senku, but I believe her nature is different. I'm sure she'd agree with me that reviving the evil would be a bad idea."  
"Any pray tell me what is her name?"  
Tsukasa paused for a moment, never taking his eyes off Asagiri. "Yae...Yae Sawa."  
Asagiri smirked. "Is Yae a lover of yours?"  
This time Tsukasa shook his head and scoffed, his grin never fading. "No, nothing like that, but that's not to say I would deny her if she pursued me...not that I would have to try very hard."  
So that was Asagiri's side mission and he had accomplished that as well. However, figuring out whether or not to tell Tsukasa was another matter. But before he could think much more of it, someone came up from behind and started beating him.

* * *

"Okay, Suika," Kohaku stood and walked to the door. "It's getting late, so let's get you back to the village."  
"But I'm not tired!" Suika wined.  
"The others will be worried, plus I'm sure you will pass out as soon as you lay down."  
Suika reluctantly got up and followed after the lioness.  
"I'll walk with you guys." Chrome got up.  
"I don't need you to escort me," Kohaku said defensively.  
"I'm not!" Chrome shot back. "I wanted to ask Ginro and Kinro about Ruri. Since you've been hanging out with us so much, they probably have an update on her sickness."  
Kohaku sighed. "Well okay then. But don't fall behind."

The three exited the hut, their voices growing quiet the farther they walked away.  
Yae was happy that all three had gone. She didn't think she'd get this opportunity, so she turned to Senku who was already busy making more soap.  
She poked his back. "Hey, Senku?"  
"Hmm?" He kept his attention on the soap.  
"I'm really worried about you."  
"Why?"  
"Because of what Asagiri Gen said!" She blurted. "Doesn't that bother you? And don't say it doesn't because I know it does."  
"Then why did you ask?" He was being rather blunt.  
Yae's cheeks puffed and she furrowed her brow. "Your attitude on this is completely different from the night before. What happened?"  
Senku finally turned, holding up the fresh bar of soap. "Look!"  
Yae stared unimpressed. "Senku..."  
Finally, Senku sighed. "I told you not to worry about it. Getting your memories back is all you should be concerned about."  
Yae crossed her arms. "But if you're dead, who will help me?"

This time, Senku was the one to stare back, mouth slightly ajar and not sure how to respond. "Uh..." He continued to look at her. "You have some dirt on your face." He rubbed the bar of soap on her cheek.  
"Hey!" She pushed his hand away, but Senku persisted. "My face is NOT dirty!" She tried to tell him. "Stop it, Senku!"  
"No, it's definitively dirty." He scooted closer, getting up on his knees now and pressing the bar of soap against her cheek again. He moved so quickly that Yae didn't have much time to react and flopped on her back.  
Senku was quick to jump on top and held down one of her arms while he rubbed the soap on her.  
"Senku, if you were serious about cleaning me, you would have wet the soap first. You're just doing this to be mean, you weirdo!"  
"Weirdo? I thought it was 'Senku sir'?"  
"Ugh! I regret saying that so much!" She flailed her legs and tried to push him off her with her one arm, but he was surprisingly strong.

Before they could continue, a scream cried out across the night sky.  
Senku stopped teasing Yae immediately. "What was that?"  
"That sounded like Asagiri Gen."  
The two glanced at each other before jumping to their feet and sprinting out the door.  
Kohaku and the others were already there by the time they reached Asagiri.  
"What happened?" Senku asked when he and Yae caught up with the others.  
"Asagiri Gen is dead!" Kohaku said.  
Senku went to examine his body. "He guarded himself with bags of fake blood. He's still alive."  
"They're all over him!" Suika cried.  
However, Chrome looked interested in Asagiri's method of survival. "This is nuts. He covered himself in these things just in case he'd be attacked."  
"Not bad." Said Senku. "You're a magician through and through."  
Yae nodded. "A good way to fake your death." She then walked over to him and knelt. "Let's take him back to the hut." Yae glanced at Suika. "Would you like to stay and help out, Suika?"  
The little girl nodded. "Of course!"

The group took Asagiri back to the hut and bandaged him to the best of their ability. For now, all they could do was let him rest.  
"He may have survived, but he is still badly injured." Said Kohaku.  
Chrome cursed. "We have to catch the attacker!"  
For the first time, Kohaku felt bad for Asagiri. "We need to find out who did this."  
"But how?" asked Yae.  
Suika suddenly ran out of the hut. "I'm going to go investigate!"  
Yae was about to say more on the matter, but Suika was already gone. "Nothing stops her, huh?"  
"C'mon," said Senku. "Let's finish putting this ointment on him."  
The four worked together to heal Asagiri's injuries. If they didn't want Tsukasa coming after them, then saving his life was top priority.

* * *

That next morning, Yae opened her mouth wide and yawned, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She was in the forest again, only this time she was collecting more herbs. To keep herself from passing out on the spot she started to hum a tune. She didn't know where she had heard it before, but it was the only song she knew that didn't come from the village.  
"That's a pretty song." Senku made his appearance known.  
Yae's humming was caught in her throat as she gasped and tripped over her own feet. She fell along with her basket of herbs and ended up hurting the same ankle again. She cursed under her breath. "Why must you do that?"  
Senku picked at his ear as he walked over to her and knelt in front of her. "Let me see your ankle." When Yae refused to lift her leg for Senku to examine her, he said, "I promise I won't attack you with soap again." He reached for her leg and gingerly propped it on to his lap. He ran his fingers over her ankle. "Does that hurt?"  
She shook her head. "No."  
This time Senku put a little bit of pressure on her ankle. "How about now."  
"It doesn't hurt too bad. It healed pretty fast the first time. And this time around it wasn't so bad. So yeah, I'm fine."  
Senku could tell that she was still upset from last night. "Listen," he began. "About last night."  
Yae put up a hand. "I don't want to hear it."

Senku sighed and went back to looking at her ankle, checking to see if it there was any swelling. "You know, that song you were singing is called Temari. It's a children's nursery rhyme."  
Yae said nothing in response. She was hell-bent on ignoring him...for the moment.  
Senku gently put her leg down on the ground. "I get it, you're upset with me. But will you allow me to ask you a question?"  
Yae thought about it for a long while and then she finally said, "Yes...?"  
"Do you...have any cracks or markings?" He looked at her seriously. "I've been wanting to ask for a while now, but I wasn't sure when a good time would be."  
Yae swallowed hard. "Y-yes."  
"You do?" A spark ignited in Senku's eyes. "Where?"  
Yae moved, slowly getting to her feet. She patted her tummy, and then her hips. "Right here, and here." She told him.  
Senku stood. "Can I see?"  
Yae blushed. "W-why? Isn't telling you enough?"  
"It's for science." He said simply. "Just show me."  
"Fine. But you have to close your eyes." Her cheeks were apple red.  
Senku raised a brow. "What? Why?"  
"Just do it, Senku!" She yelled at him.  
Senku gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine."  
Yae didn't want Senku watching her partially strip. Yes, he was going to see the marks on an area of her body she always had covered, but it was the idea of having him watch that embarrassed her. She slowly slipped her leggings off and lifted her dress just enough for the markings to show.  
"Okay, you can look now."  
Senku cracked one eye open and then other. He crouched down and inched closer to get a better look. "Hmm."  
"What?" asked Yae.  
"These symbols are more similar to Yuzuriha's than my own. Perhaps Males and Females are different?" He said that last part more to himself than to Yae. He took his finger and traced the cracks.  
Yae let out a soft whimper and squeezed her eyes.  
"Did I hurt you?" Senku stopped with his tracing.  
Yae shook her head. "No, you didn't. It just feels...funny, is all."  
"Oh," Senku went back to tracing, moving his fingers gracefully across her belly and to one of her thighs. "Nothing seems out of the ordinary. I'm one billion percent sure about that." He let his fingers linger a bit longer. However, doing this was also just another way to tease her and get her squirming again. He found it oddly amusing.

When he was done examining her for "science" he picked up the basket and gathered as many of the herbs as he could and stood up. "Let's head back, shall we?"  
When they arrived, Suika was there. She was anxious to tell everyone what she had found out.  
"Good job, Great Detective Suika!" Senku praised her.  
"I know who's behind Asagiri's murder!  
Kohaku made it a point to correct her. "Uh, he's not dead, Suika."  
"So who was it, Suika?" asked Yae.  
"It was Magma!"

Suika went on to tell them that Magma was mighty proud of himself for defeating the sorcerer and that he was a shame he couldn't have killed Kohaku as well. However, he also spoke of making Kohaku his bride, along with Ruri.  
"That fucking bastard!" Yelled Chrome. He slammed his fist into his palm.  
Kohaku's eye's narrowed. "Ah, I see now. It's all because Asagiri did that trick with the flowers to fool them."  
Yae nodded. "It sounds like Magma mistook Asagiri for Senku, and that's why he stabbed him." She was nervous now and scared for the rest of her friends.  
Kohaku scoffed. "It's a shame that Magma thinks my strength comes from sorcery.  
"Well," said Chrome. "You do fight like a gorilla."  
Kohaku shot him a dirty look and he immediately apologized.  
"So why is Magma looking to kill you, Kohaku?" asked Senku.  
"It's because of the Grand Bout. Once every generation, the village holds a large martial arts battle called the Grand Bout." She went on to talk about how several months ago when Ruri became of age, and the one to win the bout would take Ruri as his wife and become elder of the village. Magma was on the verge of winning when he spoke of his vile plans about Ruri and taking full control of the village. It angered Kohaku, so she went after him and ultimately defeated him.  
Senku turned to Yae. "Were you here at the time?"  
Yae shook her head. "No. I was still petrified."  
Chrome then asked Kohaku. "Is that why your father disowned you?"  
"No, but you could say that was the last straw."  
Chrome rubbed his head. "You've always been trouble. Ever since you were little."  
Kohaku ignored him. "The Grand Bout has been reset though. It's going to happen next month."  
"Then are you saying Magma killed Gen to win the Bout?"  
Suika freaked. "So Gen really is dead?!"  
Kohaku shook her head. "No, he's not dead."  
"It would be bad news if a guy like him became elder." Chrome said.  
Senku agreed to this. "If Magma becomes elder, it will be difficult to get the medicine to Ruri."  
"It's also an opportunity." Said Kohaku. "Senku, if you beat Magma in the Grand Bout you can marry Ruri, become elder, and solve everything."  
Senku said nothing on the topic of marriage, although, Yae was rather against it. She liked Senku and she didn't want him to marry a girl he had yet to meet. Did she really not stand a chance?  
But for any of them to move forward, it was time to talk to the brothers again.

Ginro and Kinro were the first to try and be persuaded to join their side. Furthermore, Kinro finally came to terms that Senku wasn't evil and wanted to know the objective right away.  
"All I want is to save my sister's life." Kohaku's voice was soft.  
"All right. You don't have to explain any further."  
Almost immediately afterward, Kohaku got to training with the brothers. She was going to push them passed their limits. It was the only way to defeat Magma.

Meanwhile, Senku, Yae, and Suika were out collecting firewood. Yae wandered behind the two, thinking to herself and barely taking any interest in gathering wood.  
Senku craned his neck and looked back at her. "Something on your mind, Yae?"  
Yae looked up at him shyly. "Not really." She lied. In truth, Yae was thinking about what Kohaku said about Senku marrying Ruri.  
"Suika," Senku said. "Go on ahead."  
"Why?" she asked.  
"I need to talk to Yae...alone."  
"Oh, grown-up talk?"  
Senku nodded. "Yeah." After he watched the little girl scamper off, he turned to face his shy classmate. "Spill it." He told her.  
Yae knew she wasn't going to get herself out of this one, and she sighed. "Are you really going to marry Ruri?"  
Senku raised a brow. He wasn't expecting her to say that. "Why does that bother you?"  
Yae became flustered. "I never said it bothered me. All I asked was if you were really going to do it, that's all."  
"Hmm." Senku thought for a moment before walking up to her and placing one hand atop her head. "I know it bothers you, so there's no sense in hiding it. But why though?"

Yae didn't have the energy to fight Senku, so she let him keep his hand where it was. She looked up at him with eyes that showed uncertainty. What was she to tell him? "You don't seem like the type to ever marry. And what if you don't get along with Ruri. That wouldn't be good for either of you."  
Senku smirked. "Are you saying I should marry for love?"  
Yae's face went a shade too pink for her to care, and she hated it because she knew Senku could tell. "I'm saying you don't have to go through with this." She put her head down, feeling incredibly shy. "It's not fair to have all of this responsibility thrown on to you just because your smart. I think it's dumb."  
Senku smiled softly at her. He appreciated that she genuinely cared about him. "Yae..." He removed his hand from her head and trailed his fingers down her braid, and then played with the white ribbon. "Look at me." And when she refused, Senku made her look at him by lifting her chin. "Thank you for caring so much. But to answer your question, yes, if I have to marry Ruri to save her from an evil man, then I will. However, I do have some tricks up my sleeves to help me in that case."  
"Like what?"  
Senku let go of her chin and let his arm rest at his side. "That's for me to know, and you to find out. All I have to say is that you shouldn't worry." He leaned in super close to her face. "If I ever choose a woman, it's not going to be because of some stupid Grand Bout. It'll be of my own free will. Got that?"  
Yae nodded. "O-of course!"  
Suddenly, Suika called out to them, telling them to hurry up.  
Their little conversation was over for now, but Yae had a feeling it would continue one way or another.

When they returned, the brother's were seen running off, escaping Kohaku's wrath.  
As for Chrome, he was caught staring out into the distance.  
"Hey, Chrome!" Kohaku said. "I'd really prefer to train you that anyone else. But Ginro and Kinro are the only ones who stand a chance against Magma. I'm sorry."  
"Hey, Chrome!" Senku called out. "She's only apologizing because she knows you totally love Ruri."  
"You're as brutal as ever." Kohako could not believe Senku, and Yae whacked him with her bundle of sticks. The two girls were about to apologize to Chrome for Senku's behavior, but it was not needed.  
"Yeah, I'm totally fine with that. I can ask for nothing more than the cure-all drug of science that will cure Ruri. I'm a genius when it comes to science, after all."  
Senku laughed. "Changing from a sorcerer to a scientist, huh?"  
"You got that right. I'm no longer calling myself a sorcerer."  
Senku nodded to this, walking off with Chrome. "Then let's let the battle team deal with the Grand Bout. In the meantime, we'll focus on making the Sulfa drug." He stopped suddenly, looking back at Yae. "Well, Yae? Are you coming or not? I need your help too."  
Yae glanced over at Kohaku to see if the lioness needed any help for the rest of the evening, but all her blonde headed friend did was smile faintly.  
"Go on," she told Yae. "It's okay. We can take it from here. I plan on participating int he Grand Bout as well, so I need to practice too."

* * *

Late that night, while the team of science sat huddled in Chrome's tent, Yae was struggling to keep her eyes open.  
"Here, let me." Senku took the bowl of herbs she was mixing and watched as Yae laid on her side and curled into a ball. Everyone's voices were soon gone as Yae drifted off to sleep. She soon began to hear the song she had hummed earlier deep in her dreams. There was still only darkness, but the song she could hear. It wasn't her singing, but whomever it was, Yae recognized them.  
_Mamma?_

The next morning, Yae woke with a fright. Chrome was yelling and when she sat up she understood what was the matter. Asagiri Gen was gone!  
When everyone met up, Senku seemed unusually calm about the whole thing.  
"Yeah, I'm sure he's on his way to meet up with Tsukasa right about now."  
"What?!" Yae was ready to go after him, and so was Kohaku.  
"But why would he just sneak away like that?" Chrome wanted to know.  
"I bet that asshole intends to tell Tsukasa that Senku is alive!"  
"This is bad, Senku. We have to go after him!" Chrome insisted.  
Kohaku looked at Yae. "Come on, Yae. Let's go after him!"  
The two girls took off running, but Senku deliberately stood in their way. "Hold it!"  
The three fell in a pile. Senku was on the bottom wit Yae squished between him and Kohaku.  
"Why did you stop us, Senku?" Kohaku was clearly annoyed. "We need to catch that crazy bastard!" She finally removed herself from the pile.  
"We can leave him be." Senku sat up along with Yae.  
"What are you saying?" asked Yae.  
Senku made it clear that if Asagiri Gen had no interest in science, he would have never cooperated in the first place. I believe he's already made up his mind what side he wants to be on when we created electricity.  
"You men are such a pain in the ass." Kohaku sighed. "In any era." She graciously added.  
Senku smirked and stood up, helping Yae as well.  
"So Gen is joining the Kingdom of science?" Chrome was hopeful.  
Senku seemed proud of himself. "Hell yeah. I'm sure his sorry ass will be coming back soon enough. Just you wait."  
Kohaku seemed pleased also. "Then it looks like our first battle against Tsukasa's Empire has been won."  
Suika jumped for joy. "Gen really is a good guy!"  
Senku laughed. "It's the world's flimsiest alliance, bound by a single bottle of cola. That's why I'm going to try my best and make sure its nice and cold. I'll make it in time for his return."  
"Say, Senku," Yae nudged him. "Do wanna make two cola's. I'd really like one too."  
"Only if you help," Senku told her.  
"You can count on me!" Yae was more than eager to give it her best chance in re-creating a drink long since gone.

Once Kohaku went back to training, and Chrome and Suika went to study his rocks, Yae and Senku were left to their own devices again.  
"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" Senku said to Yae. They were near the edge of the forest where they sat down to take a look at the herbs Yae had gathered earlier.  
"I do?" Yae was embarrassed. "What did I say?"  
Senku chuckled a little. "It was hard to understand you, but I think you said something about eating pizza in the shower."  
Yae looked at him wide-eyed and then burst out in fits of laughter. This surprised Senku, of course. He half expected her to shut down again. There was something else Yae had said in her sleep, but Senku was hesitant about bringing it up. It was something that concerned him about her life 3700 years ago—a reason perhaps as to why she was always so quiet.  
_"No, please...don't touch me...don't...hurt...me. Someone help..."_  
Those words shook Senku to the core. He was starting to think that maybe her memories were better left forgotten. But he made her a promise, and she took that to heart.  
He stared at her while she cleaned the dirt from the herbs, giggling over the whole pizza-in-the-shower-thing. Their arms and legs gently brushed together from sitting so close, and Senku allowed himself to indulge at the moment_._  
He thought._ I won't let anyone hurt you...not as long as I'm near._

**Author's note: The sex is coming (pun not intended) I promise you! And when it does, it will be fucking glorious! **


	6. Chapter six

**Author's note: Consider this a side chapter. It has nothing to do with episode 11. This chapter happens right before that. **

Yae rose early the next morning. She sat up in her hay and fur make-shift bed and stretched her limbs, yawning. Her hair hung loose and sprawled over her shoulders. Some of it even stuck out in odd directions, making morning hair ever more glorious.  
She finally rose to her feet, stretching again as she stood on the tip of her toes, listening to them pop. And before heading out for the day, she took a bone cut and shaped like a comb to smooth out her hair before putting it in a braid again. Next, she grabbed an apple that sat inside a wooden bowl and took a bite. It was a good way to get rid of bad breath and any plaque.

Unfortunately, Yae could not cure the stench coming off her body so easily as eating an apple. It had been hot the last few days, and with how busy she had been with everyone else, taking a dip in the pond had slipped her mind. One sniff of her underarms was enough to send her running to the waters.  
She grabbed a clean dress similar to the one she had been wearing, and a bar of soap she had "accidentally" stolen from Senku, and was off.

The morning sun was just peeking over the trees and most everyone in the village were still snoring in their huts and tents. It was easy to slip by without anyone noticing her, save for when she crossed the bridge and met up with Ginro and Kinro.  
"Where's Kohaku?" asked Yae.  
"Still sleeping." Kinro sounded rather annoyed at that fact.  
"We're waiting for her to show up so we can start training." Ginro sounded hopeful. "Where are you going?" He gestured toward the small basket Yae was carrying.  
"Oh," she held up the bar of soap for a second to show the brothers before putting it back. "Just heading to the pond for a quick dip."  
Kinro looked at her sternly. "Do you have any means of protecting yourself?"  
Yae nodded and lifted her foot and shook it a bit. She had a small dagger with a blade barely bigger than her hand attached to her ankle with a rope. "I do. Kohaku gave this to me. She's been helping me with how to use it whenever she can."  
Kinro seemed satisfied with this answer. "Good. Don't be away for too long."  
Yae smiled sweetly. "No worries!" She told them as she waved goodbye.

Not much later did Senku wake from his slumber. His body felt stiff and his throat felt dry. After the last few days, he could tell that all the excitement was having a negative effect on him. Now that the hype had finally died down somewhat, his adrenaline was wearing off and he was feeling every sore spot on his body.  
He peered over at Chrome who was still asleep and snoring softly. Senku scoffed and smirked to himself. He admired the fact that Chrome could sleep just about anywhere.

Finally, he stood, exiting the hut and climbing down the ladder. He walked over to the side and took a much needed long piss. When he was done, Senku shook his member to get rid of any remaining drops of urine and then proceeded to walk over to a medium-sized bucket of water—only there was no water. He heaved a heavy sigh, having wished he took the time earlier to get more water from the river just a mile from the village.  
Besides that, his face felt oily and he figured going for a morning walk to the river wouldn't hurt. He'd kill two birds with one stone: get more water, and seize the opportunity to wash some of the grim away.

The walk to the river was a quick one. Senku had been in such deep thought about Asagiri Gen, Ruri, and Tsukasa—not to mention the Grand Bout—that he almost forgot his purpose for walking all the way here. He sunk to his knees, placing the bucket in the river and filled it almost to the top. Next, he undid the top half of his clothes and slashed himself with fresh, crisp, cold water. He washed his face, the back of his neck, and his armpits.

When Senku had finished his business, he picked up the bucket and headed back to the village. However, a small detour was suddenly in his favor, for a sweet song echoed in the thickness of the forest. The singing was faint, but Senku could tell that it was Yae, and he wondered if she was out here by herself or if Kohaku was with her. In this stone world, the life of a young pretty girl could be dangerous.

Senku made his way over by listening to the sound of where Yae's voice was coming from. He stopped abruptly, almost dropping the bucket of water and snapping a twig beneath his foot. He swiftly moved behind a tree, poking his head out for one eye to take a gander.  
_What am I doing? Spying? What the hell is wrong with me?_  
Such were the thoughts running through Senku's head as he continued to stare at Yae bath in a pond.

The place was well hidden as it was in a more secluded area of the forest and well off the beaten path people normally took. Plus the trees gathered here were many, almost annoyingly so.  
Senku couldn't take it upon himself to look away though as Yae lathered her body with soap.  
_Ah, so that's where my new bar of soap went._  
He figured Yae had taken it from him just for spit after teasing her about being dirty. Not that he really cared because he could always make more—plus, it was Yae.

Watching Yae rub her hands across her breasts sent a shiver down Senku's spine and to his toes_. _Her nipples were a soft pink, and the shape of her breasts were plump and perky. Senku guessed she was a C cup—not too small and not too big.

As he continued to watch, feeling guilty all the same, he was somewhat alarmed at the fact that he was enjoying himself. Watching Yae move on to other parts of her body excited him by at least one billion percent.  
She rubbed her belly, her hips, and thighs, and then her private which answered Senku's question about whether or not she shaved down there—which the answer was both yes and no. It seemed as though she kept her pubic hair short by giving them a simple, and quick grooming session.  
_Maybe I should trim myself down there. What would it hurt?_  
Senku had never given it any thought to shave the hairs near his manhood. What reason did he have? Unlike some students in his class, Senku wasn't sexually active, so he never felt the need to make himself look presentable down there...until just now.  
And as Yae turned, her back now facing Senku, it gave him full view of her peach-shaped butt. With her tiny waste and perfectly-shaped ass, it made her hips and thighs look that more desirable.  
A curvy woman, was a splendid woman—or was it tasty? Senku had forgotten exactly how the saying went, or where he had even heard it.

An unexpected thought suddenly occurred to Senku: _Am I attracted to Yae? Sure, her body would be fetching to any man and lure him in like a siren. But is it because I..._  
Senku didn't want to finish that thought and he banished it from his mind. He splashed some water the bucket on his face and started to walk away when he saw something unusual floating closer toward Yae. It was a bamboo stick and that could only mean one thing.  
Senku dropped his bucket of water and dashed out from behind the trees and picked up the biggest rock nearest to him.  
"Watch out, Yae!" He yelled and threw the rock where the bamboo stuck.  
plunk!  
Mantle, Magma's smallest minion follower shot up from under water. He gasped and coughed and started cursing, and above his eyebrow blood dripped from where the rock hit him.  
Yae screamed and held her arms close to her chest.  
"You fucking pervert!" Senku yelled and jumped into the pond, making his way over to Mantle who tried his best to get away. Even though Senku was just as guilty as him, that was the least of his worries right now and would make up for it later.  
"Please show mercy!" Mantle cried.  
Senku scoffed and pulled him in by the front of his shirt. "Mercy? I should beat the shit out of you for pulling this stunt!"  
Mantle raised his arms over his face. "No!"  
Senku pulled his arm back, hand bawled into a fist and ready to punch Mantle. But he stopped and reconsidered his actions. If he were to physically harm Mantel, a villager, it would only make it harder for him to be excepted in. Plus, that would give Magma a reason to come after him.  
Senku groaned and cursed. "You're not worth it!" He held Mantle above the water now and tossed him on to land. "Get the hell out of here, you creep!"  
Mantle hurried and scurried away, leaving Senku and Yae alone together in the pond.  
"Senku...?" Yae spoke softly.  
"Uh..." Senku slowly turned in Yae's direction. He had no intention of doing so, it was just automatic so he quickly shut his eyes. "I'm sorry! I'll leave. I was just walking by, honestly!"

As Senku walked with his eyes closed, he did his best to walk as carefully as he could. He had his arms stretched out to catch himself if he fell and to feel around for the edge of the pond and land. Unfortunately, Senku slipped on algae and lost his footing, his arms grabbing on to the first thing he could find to try and steady his fall.  
Yae squeaked as Senku flailed his arms, accidentally bringing her down with him. They struggled in the water for a few seconds before finally managing to sort themselves out. With a bit of luck, they had fallen in the shallowest part of the pond. Senku was now almost completely drenched, although he didn't mind seeing as the morning was already getting so hot.

Time seemed to stop as Senku hovered over Yae in the foot of water. One hand had stopped him from falling face first, while the other hand had grabbed onto something more delightful.  
Yae lay there frozen as she propped herself up on her elbows, her face turning a rosy red as she bit down on her lower lip out of sheer embarrassment-her eyes glossing over.  
It was never Senku's intentions for this situation to work out the way it did. He was prepared to walk away and leave things be, but because of Mantle-  
The two stared back at one another in silence.  
_Oh God...I hate that this feels so good._  
Senku fought with himself to try and deny that fact, but his brain was in shambles at the moment and all he could think about was what he was currently squeezing softly.  
Yae took in a breath. "Get off!" She yelled smacking Senku across the face.  
As much as it hurt getting slapped, it brought Senku back to his usual self.  
"Ouch! Damn it, Yae, I was trying to help!"  
"Sicko!" She called him.  
Senku kept his head turned and pulled himself out of the pond. "I said I was sorry."  
"Go away!"  
Senku stood on land now and rung the water from his clothes as best as he could. "I saved you!"  
Yae held her tongue. Senku was right; he did save her from being spied on by Mantle and stopped the creep from getting a full view. "Please, just go." She said quietly.  
Senku sighed. "Yeah, fine." He walked away, picking up his bucket and frowned; he would have to go get more water again.

Secretly, Yae found it arousing the way Senku touched her. However, she would never admit to that, at least not out loud. She would keep that thought forever locked away inside her head. The poor girl was feeling all sorts of things: frustration, embarrassment, arousal.  
Butterflies danced inside her tummy, giving her mixed emotions.  
Perhaps deep down, Yae wanted Senku to be close to her and touch her in ways that she only ever had wet dreams about.  
_Wait a minute. _She thought. _Have I had THOSE kinds of dreams about Senku?_  
The idea was plausible. Maybe Yae did have dirty dreams about Senku before she lost her memories.  
Now she really wanted to remember; who was Senku to her? Sure, he had told her they were classmates and that they were never anything more than that, but perhaps there was a chance that Yae, hidden deep in her sub-conscience memory, wanted more from Senku than to be his friend.  
Perhaps she was just as big of a pervert as him.

**Please leave a review. It's good for a writer's soul. **


	7. Chapter seven

With the last bit of dignity left in Yae's bones, she pulled herself out of the pond and dabbed her body dry with a white cloth. All the while she muttered to herself about how perverted guys were.

Just as she was finishing drying herself off, Yae felt hot liquid run down her leg. A sinking feeling rested in the pit of her gut as she looked down as saw red._Oh great_. She thought. _Now I get to have my period. Yippy. _She wiped the blood from her inner thigh.  
Of all the things that could go possibly wrong, Mother Nature decided to grace Yae with her presence. No wonder she had been having such horrible cramps_.  
Cramps_. She thought. _Shit._  
The first day was always the worst for her. Sometimes it was so bad that it caused her to miss school.  
Why are stupid things like my period and school all that I can remember, but not anything else—nothing important!

Yae took the second piece of cloth that was smaller than the first and folded it a couple of times. She was going to use it to dry off the ends of her hair, but now she safely tucked it between her private and underwear, hoping it would stay put. And with the heat mixed in, today was going to be a _very_ long day.

Next, she put on her clean clothes and wrung her hair, letting the water drip on her toes. Once she was done she put her hair into a braid, letting it fall over the side of her shoulder like usual. It was already so hot, but her flushed cheeks felt warmer. The feel of Senku touching her would forever be engraved into her memory.

On her way back to the village, Yae stopped to visit the statue of the weeping woman from before. She picked a purple flower just as she did then and placed it atop the head of the statue. Yae was going to make this a usual thing—visiting the weeping woman.  
Yae couldn't imagine what would be like to be frozen in time, forever crying, and always sad. Then again, perhaps the woman was only sleeping like she was before she was freed from her petrified state.  
According to Senku, he was awake for the entirety of last 3700 years! And he counted! It was hard to believe, but Yae took his word for it. Senku was many things, but he wasn't a liar.

With that all that in mind, Yae turned away from the statue and stopped abruptly. There, standing a few feet from her, was a goat. It pulled at the grass, chewing slowly and staring blankly at Yae, as if it didn't care that she was so close to it.  
"Hi there little..." She glanced down at its utters. "Little miss."  
Yae slowly and carefully approached it, reaching her hand out to pet its head. When the goat did not jerk away from her touch, Yae was grateful. A curious grin spread across her face as she got a brilliant idea. "You look healthy. I wonder if I can make cheese out of your milk."  
Indeed. Yae had cheese on the brain and even though she didn't remember when last she ate it, she could remember the taste, and damn did she miss it!  
"What should I call you, little one?" She tapped her chin with her finger, pondering in thought. "How about Furo? It's short for furomaju." She patted the goats head again and smiled. "C'mon, Furo. Our friends are waiting!"

When Yae returned to the outskirts of the village where Chrome's hut was, she found Kohaku practicing with the brothers again.  
Chrome, Senku, and Suika were standing near, watching.  
"Woah!" Said Chrome eyeing the goat. "Where did you find the goat?"  
"About a mile south from here," Yae answered him. "I've noticed the village doesn't have a goat, so I took the liberty of taking Furo home with me."  
Senku smirked as he held his hand to his mouth to try and hide his chuckling. "Furo, ya say? Do you mean Furomaju? Nice." He put his hand back down to reveal his ever grinning face.  
"I thought it was clever," Yae said.  
"What are you going to do with the goat, Yae?" Suika asked.  
Yae knelt to be eye-level with Suika and said, "I'm going to make this wonderful thing called cheese."  
"Cheese?" Suika cocked her head to the side in wonder. "What's that?"  
Senku walked up to Furo and attempted to pet her head, but the young goat snapped at him. "Shit! What the hell? I think this goat is broken!"  
Yae giggled. "Maybe she just doesn't like you."  
"Wouldn't be the first time." Senku sighed, keeping his hands far away from Furo. "So cheese, huh? I'm excited to try the cheese once you perfect it." He then turned to face Chrome. "As I was saying before: the first man-made material in synthesized using science."  
"Oh! Are you guys talking about glass?" Yae chimed in.  
Senku nodded. "Exactly. You get a billion points for that guess, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."He chuckled a bit.  
"What's that?" Chrome asked.  
Senku dodged the question and got straight to the point. "Clay pots are no longer going to cut it if we want to make our cure-all sulfa drug."  
"Good idea, Senku." Said Yae and then looked to Chrome. "Glass can stand up to just about any chemical. It's really cool."  
Senku snapped his fingers. "Right you are again, Yae. Glass is the foundation of chemistry. It'll be ten billion percent easy to process!"  
"And since we'll be able to see through glass we can watch what the chemicals are doing inside." Yae continued.  
"Really?" Chrome's eyes lit up. "That's great!"  
"And to top it all off, once we have glass, we might finally get the chance to yank at that headpiece." He peered down at Suika. "We'll finally be able to see Detective Suika's true face."

Without any warning, Senku popped the watermelon headpiece right off Poor Suika's head.  
From across the fighting ring, Kohaku dashed over. "Wait, Senku!" She quickly grabbed the watermelon. "Suika doesn't want her face to be seen! Take a good look."  
All of them stared at Suika. There didn't seem to any problem besides Kohaku fanning over her cuteness.  
"Wow, Suika! You're so cute!"  
"Aww, Suika! What are you worried for?" Yae told her softly.  
And then, quite suddenly, Suika's face scrunched together, making her look like a granny.  
Chrome and Kohaku yelled in unison. "What the hell?!"  
All the while, Yae and Senku stole glances at each other in surprise. Even the goat snorted.  
The poor little Suika was not only embarrassed but ashamed at the same time.  
"You see? I have the fuzzy sickness. Everything looks fuzzy to me. And when I squint my eyes, I always end up looking like this, but its the best way for me to see." She put the watermelon back over her head. "But this mask on, it's a little bit easier to see."  
"Yeah, that's the pinhole effect," Senku told her. He explained as best as he could that when the light narrows it makes it easier to focus."  
Now Chrome was itching his head. "What does glass have to do with Suika's fuzzy sickness?"  
Senku snapped his head to the side. "It has ten billion percent to do with it!" But that was enough yelling at the poor apprentice boy of science, and he walked over to Suika. "Listen up, Suika." Senku said. "You're nearsighted as hell. That's not a disease. There's nothing wrong with you."  
Yae stepped forward. "Senku is absolutely right. I'm farsighted, which means I can't see things really up close."  
"We have eyes of science made from glass."  
"And I used to have glasses too! It's normal." Yae tried to make her feel better.

Suika looked up at the two in wonder. She wanted these things called glasses. She wanted to see the world! "That's so amazing!"  
"Hell yeah, it is!" Senku said.  
"If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to see the beauty of the world too. Even if it's just one time." She grabbed Yae's and Kohaku's hands and squeezed them gently. "I want to see you guys without the fuzziness."  
"Alright then!" Said Chrome, Thrusting his fist into the air. "Let's make some glass! Senku! Yae! What do we need to gather?"  
Senku grinned. "So glad you asked."

On their way up a hill, Senku mentioned that Chrome didn't have any quartz sand, which was something they needed.  
"I don't collect sand." Chrome told him.  
All the while, Yae struggled somewhat to keep up with the rest of the group. Her cramps were killing her and she was fighting back the urge to lay down and moan in pain. Thankfully, Furo was beside her, and Yae was able to balance herself by resting her hand on her new pet's head.  
"Are you okay?" Kohaku whispered into her friend's ear. "You look pale—uh, well, paler than usual."  
Yae gave her a weak smile. "I'll be fine. Just dealing with some girly pains."  
"Girly...pains?" It took a few seconds but Kohaku finally caught on. "Oh! Why didn't you say anything sooner?"  
"Shh!"  
Kohaku rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Those two are too busy talking about science."  
Yae bit down on her lip, choking back a painful cramp. "Yeah...sure..." Was all she could manage.

The group finally met up with their destination.  
"This is what I found as a kid." Chrome told everyone.  
Senku stepped forward to get a better look at things. "This little tidbit is worth a ton." He bent down and started hammering the ground. "That translucent rock, that crystal, tends to be found in areas of decayed granite, like this place." He picked up a hand full of sand and let it fall through his fingers.  
"The raw material for glass," Yae commented. "Quartz sand."  
"Another billion points!"  
Yae would have enjoyed that praise more if not for the fact that her gut was literally killing her. But to help keep her mind off of the pain, she pitched in with everyone else to collect the quartz sand by chipping away at the rocks.

While the others were busy collecting materiel, Senku inched closer to Yae's area.  
"Hey, sorry about this morning." He kept his attention on the rocks.  
"It's okay."  
Senku stopped hammering for a second. Did his ears deceive him? "So what you're saying is that you forgive me?"  
Yae wiped the sweat from her forehead as she tried to ignore her cramps. "Sure, whatever."  
Senku continued to stare at her in silence for a bit longer. "Are you okay?"  
Yae shot up, suddenly irritated. "Yes, I'm fine!" And she stormed off to be close to Kohaku and Suika, leaving behind a very confused Senku. But of course Yae was not upset with him—not anymore anyway—but her stomach was aching too much she thought she was losing her mind.

When the group returned to Chrome's hut, they got started by grinding down the quartz sand into fine grains. They then mixed it with other materials and melted it over the fire. It would seem they had everything they needed.  
It was hard work what they were doing and none of it would be possible without Senku's big brain and the man-power of everyone else. Working together as a team showed amazing results.

Next, they threw in lead to make the super see-through lens glass. It was all coming together so smoothly. And once they completed, Senku held up their almost-finished item.  
"It's shiny and see-through like ice!" Chrome exclaimed.  
But they weren't done yet. "We still need to polish it!" Senku brought the glass over to a device he had created.  
Chrome started climbing the ladder to his hut. "We can use that super tough corundum for polishing."  
Yae looked over at Senku and said, "Glass has a Mohs hardness of about six. Corundum is nine."  
"Alright!" Said Chrome as he quickly stepped inside the hut.  
Senku looked over at and stared at her thoughtfully.  
"What? Is there something on my face?" she asked.  
Senku shook his head and smiled. "No, I'm just impressed by you today. You keep nailing it. Perhaps by next month, you'll have all your memories back."  
That was the best thing Yae had heard all day, and it surprisingly enough helped numb the pain. "Thanks, Senku."

While Kohaku walked off to train with the brothers, the others worked at polishing the glass. Little by little they worked at getting it just right to Suika's vision. It had to be perfect. And when they finally finished, Senku put two glass lenses in the eyeholes of Suika's watermelon.  
Suika was about to put it on but Senku stopped her. "Hold on a second, Suika. Let's go somewhere really amazing before you try it on."  
"O-oh okay." Suika let him hold her watermelon.

The four of them walked through a meadow. Chrome led the way while Senku walked behind with Suika holding on to the back of his clothes. Yae stared at them both in admiration. Senku was good to Suika, which made him even that more attractive at how well he took care of her.  
Yae looked down at Furo and mumbled. "You're not a Suika, but I suppose you will do." She petted the goats head. "Just down eat my clothes will ya?"

They finally stopped in front of a field of sunflowers. There were hundreds of them, but to Suika, they might as well had not even been there they were so blurry. It completely took away the beauty.  
Senku suddenly plopped the watermelon on top of Suika head again. "Now take a look."  
Little Suika started to cry. "It's so beautiful! Thank you so much, Senku! Everyone!"  
"You're welcome, Suika. You deserve it!" Yae said.  
Senku looked over at Yae. "Next, we'll make a pair for you."  
Yae guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised to hear this, but still..."Really?"  
He nodded. "Of course!"  
Yae's heart fluttered. She was excited about being able to see things up close again.

To reward themselves for all their hard work, they took a break by sitting down near a stream.  
"Senku! Chrome! You both look really handsome!" She then turned to Yae. "And Yae, you're so beautiful!"  
Yae blushed from embarrassment. She wasn't expecting that compliment. "Aww, thank you, Suika."  
Senku chuckled. "We're finally making glass. And now that Suika's labor potential had leveled up super high, we're going to put together a full chemistry set."  
Yae bonked Senku on the head. "Don't call her labor potential. That's so mean!"  
"Ouch! What is your problem today?"  
Yae took in a breath and held it. She wanted to spit out the words explaining to him exactly what going on, but that was a sensitive subject and she was sure no one wanted to know. "Shut up!" She fired back.  
"Woah," Chrome stared at them, and so did Suika. "I've never seen you two fight before."  
"It's all because this jerk—" Yae stopped herself short. If she suddenly blurted out about what happened this morning, she'd never hear the end of it.  
Senku's face flushed just a tad bit of pink. "Oh, whatever!"

The two stared at each other for a hot minute before Yae finally shot up and walked over to the stream. She splashed some cool water on her face and neck, and then took a few hand-scoops to drink. The water wasn't enough to stop the cramps from stabbing her in the gut, and the damned sun was getting hotter.  
Yae stood, but too soon, and stumbled forward into the stream.  
"Yae!" Senku bolted like a bullet and quickly dragged her out of the water. "Yae, are you okay?" He gently tapped her cheek to get her to open her eyes.  
"Huh?"  
"You passed out!" Senku held her with her back pressed against his chest with one arm wrapped securely around her, resting just below her breasts. He continued to hold her face with his other hand. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Even though Yae was mere inches from his face, he was slightly blurry and her head was spinning from heat exhaustion. "I'm sorry."  
Chrome snorted. "Sorry for what?"  
"Are you sick, Yae?" Suika asked.  
Yae gave maximum effort to put on a smile. She failed. "You could say that." She leaned her head back on Senku.  
"You should have said something earlier." A bell went off in Senku's head. "Oh, I guess you kind of did..."  
"Huh, what?" Chrome had no idea what was going on.  
Senku craned his neck to look back at his young apprentice. "Chrome, take Suika and head back to the village and get all the materials in order. We'll be right behind you."  
"You got it! C'mon, Suika!"  
"Right!"

Senku didn't really need to send them away. This was just an excuse to spend more time with Yae on a personal level. Perhaps something was going on with her that she didn't want everyone to know.  
"Okay, out with it. What's wrong?" He continued to hold his younger classmate, keeping her close.  
By now, Yae's head had stopped spinning, but she didn't want to get up yet and so she let Senku hold her. _One time won't hurt. _She thought to herself. "There's no getting passed you, is there." She half-joked. But when Senku didn't respond with a quirky answer, she sighed. "I'm having cramps..."  
"...Oh. Is there any way I can help?"  
Yae thought for a moment. "Some chocolate would be nice." She glanced over at the goat. "Or cheese."  
"Sorry," Senku told her. "I have none of those things, but give me some time and I will."

Yae smiled to herself. "That would be nice." It was then that she noticed just how long she had been in this position with Senku. "Uh, Senku? You can let go now."  
"What if I don't want to?" He mumbled.  
"Huh?"  
"Nothing." He sighed, letting her go and standing up to help Yae get back on her feet. "Feeling better?"  
She nodded. "Yeah."  
Senku handed her his water sack. "Drink as much as you want. Also, you're taking it easy for the rest of the day." He spun around and got down on one knee. "I'm also carrying you back."  
"What? No, that's not necessary."  
"Get on!"  
Yae jumped at Senku's forcefulness. "Okay, jeez." She propped herself on his back, wrapping her legs around his waist and gently grasping his shoulders. "I'm not too heavy, am I?"  
Senku scoffed. "Of course not!" He looked over at Furo. "C'mon, ya dumb goat. You follow too. And no biting me."

On their quiet walk back to the village, they said little to each other. Perhaps it was the invisible bond that was growing stronger between them. Whatever it was, Senku could definitely feel it. He could also feel Yae's breasts press against his back. She was still somewhat wet from the stream, so some of the water-soaked through his clothes._  
If this keeps up, I might as well just admit to it already._ Senku fought with himself mentally. _Yae is super pretty, and she's smart. She's also kind and thoughtful. _He gave her thighs a gentle squeeze and heard her moan softly right behind his ear, her hot breath grazing him. It sent a shiver down Senku's body.  
"Hey, Yae?"  
"Hmm?" Her head rested on the back of his shoulder.  
"Do you think we could have eventually become friends even if the world didn't turn to stone?"  
"Maybe..." She answered him. "Why are you bringing this up."  
"Ah, well...no reason."

It was nice being able to sit back and relax while other's work at making more glass. They were quick about making a glassblowing furnace and started getting the materials ready to be placed inside.

Yae watched as they blew hair from a pipe into the glass to give it shape, but all their efforts ended up looking like piles of poop—literally. The struggle was real.  
"This will take months before we can get it right?"  
"Months? We don't have months!" Chrome yelled.  
"And I'm really worried about Ruri's health," Kohaku said.  
Senku crossed him arms. "I'm learning this all through trial and error. This job is meant for a craftsman."  
"A craftsman?" Chrome said. "Hold on. I know who we need." He ran off to the village and returned a few minutes later with an older man wrapped in what looked like some kind of wicker basket. "C'mon, old man Kaseki!" Chrome set him down. We could really use your skills."  
"Is this how you ask for favors? What kind of kinky rope-play is this?" Kaseki went on about how he had no interest in helping theirs with their work of sorcery.  
Senku thought quickly. Perhaps complimenting the man would work. "Old man, you were the one who made Kohaku's shield, right? Amazing work.  
"It was a gift from when Kohaku's father, Kokyo, won the Grand Bout." He paused. "That really takes me back. I went all out to make that shield." But he soon went on about how he wasn't going to help them. "Flattery will get you nowhere, my boy." He then stood in front of the pile of odd-shaped glass and stared at it in horror.  
"Fine," said Senku. "You don't have to help us. You can just watch. Besides, I'm ten billion percent sure this will exhilarate you."  
Kaseki eyed the boys carefully as they continued to make glass, and fail over and over they did.  
Yae watched all of this and knew that this was also all part of Senku's plan. She could see Kaseki coming to his breaking point.  
Senku looked over at him. "Are you really just going to stand there and watch something drooltastic as glassblowing. Am I right, old man Kaseki?"  
Kaseki growled. "This is unbearable. Step aside!" He ripped the ropes and freed himself. "Let me do it!" Everyone's mouths gaped open when they saw his muscles pop.  
"You must have a ton of work-craft experience." Said Senku as he and everyone else watched Kaseki mold the glass in perfect shape.  
"Believe it or not, I have fifty years of experience. I'm kind of a big deal."

By mid-day Senku and his Kingdom of Science had acquired a science lab. Glass bottles matching the set of a chemistry lab-made everyone stare in awe. It was all coming together. The future!  
While everyone praised, a somber look appeared on Senku's face.  
"Hey, cheer up." Chrome told him.  
"Yeah, sure. Yippie." He turned to face his friends. "We're still at the dawn of chemistry."  
"Everything is starting to look so fancy," Yae commented. She slid her fingers across the glass surface table.  
Senku chuckled. "Yeah, and it's ten billion percent more fun than Tsukasa land."

The next following days, once Yae's stomach had stopped yelling at her, she made her way over the lab where she found Senku admiring all of the glass. There was more being made too. Senku made sure to keep Kaseki busy.  
"Looks like we can finally make that sulfa drug," Yae commented as she walked up behind Senku.  
"Ah!" He almost dropped a few important items containing ingredients for other things. In other words: he was experimenting. "Y-Yae?"  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to spook you."  
Senku set he things down. "It's fine. What did you need."  
Yae took a walk around the lab to give it a good look. "Nope. I just thought I'd come to see if you made anything else."  
Senku did not comment on this. He then asked, "How does your stomach feel?"  
"Much better. Kohaku made me wonder a cup of hot tea. It's now my favorite."  
"Oh!" Senku suddenly remembered. "Yae, close your eyes."  
"Uh, why?"  
"Just...please..."  
"Okay..." Yae could hear Senku rummaging through a few things and then heard him make his way over to her.  
"Now stand still." He spoke quietly, and when she did, Senku gently placed something over her face. "Open your eyes."  
Yae gasped. She could see him! She could see Senku even though he was but an inch from her face. His gorgeous red eyes, perfect smile and handsome jawline were all in perfect line of vision.  
"Senku..." Her eyes teared up.  
"What do you think? I took the liberty of making this specially for you."  
Yae put her hands to her mouth in shock. "I think they're wonderful. Thank you so much!" A few tears finally fell.

Senku smiled at her, wiping away those tears that had fallen and stared into her big brown eyes that grew in size due to the glasses. "Now you look like the Yae I used to know."  
Yae grabbed Senku hand before he could pull away from her face and pressed it close to her cheek. "Thank you so so much!"  
This surprised Senku and was glad no one else was around because he wasn't sure how to respond. "You're welcome." He gently preyed his hand free. He also felt his cheeks getting warm. The more he looked at Yae the harder it was to look away.

Finally, with great effort, Senku reluctantly turned around and faced the glass table. "I'm glad you're feeling better."  
Yae wasn't going to let him get away that easily though and hugged him from behind. "How can I repay you?"  
"You can start by letting me go?" Senku half-joked.  
Yae scoffed. "Always the joker." She stepped back. "I came in here for a reason, but now I forgot."  
"Must have been a lie." Senku chuckled.  
Yae rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh yeah! Chrome had a question about more stones. You better go see what he wants before he has a mental break down." She turned her on her heal. "I think he needs your skilled brain and handiwork to help him again!" She waved him goodbye before running off to meet up with Kohaku._  
My handiwork huh?_ Senku chuckled to himself. _Of all the things my hands have touched, the best by far is you._


	8. Chapter eight

While Yae and Kohaku waited for the boys to return with more items, they wasted no time in sparring with each other.  
"You need to be faster, Yae. The enemy will not give you an inch of space to attack them!"  
Yae took a deep breath as she stepped from side to side to dodge Kohaku's blows. "I know that!" She swung her dagger but Kohaku easily dodged it.  
"Stop," said Kohaku. "You're not giving it your best effort."  
"I am!" Yae said in defense. "I just need more practice, is all."  
"The enemy can strike at any given moment. Do you want to be weak? Do you want to die?" She paused. "Do you want Senku to die?"  
"Stop it, Kohaku! Of course I don't want that." She looked down at the dagger gripped tightly in her right hand.  
"I've seen the way you look at him." Kohaku finally said. "You like him, but it's a different kind of like. Not at all the way other girls in the village look at him. You can _see _Senku for who he really is, can't you?"  
Yae shyly looked up at her friend. There was nothing she could say in return. The lioness had guessed exactly right.  
"Oh, look!" Suika pointed. "Here come the boys!"  
"So we can use this hair-like stuff and turn it into silver? And all this time I thought they were roots from some weird plant." Chrome said excitedly.

At the same time, the brothers had shown up. Kohako turned to Yae and told that was enough training. Ginro and Kinro now needed her full attention. All the while Ginro went on about how Kinro wasn't getting a silver spear which resulted in Kohaku kicking him in the face.  
"Move your ass! Not your mouth!" She yelled at him.

Yae sheathed her dagger snuggly and walked over to Chrome and Senku. "Do you have everything you will need for the part of our trip?" She slid the glasses further up her nose with her pointer finger.  
"We do," Senku told her. "And we'll be using that silver spear to help us gather the most dangerous materials we still need." Before Senku could explain himself further, Ginro picked up the silver spear with his greedy hands. "Thank you so much, Senku!"  
Senku gave him a short laugh. "You don't have to thank me one millimeter just yet. You'll be acting as our bodyguard."  
A sparkle flickered in Ginro's eyes. "Awesome! I get to be the bodyguard! Bodyguard!" He sang.  
Yae looked over at Suika and Kinro. "Will you two stay here and keep an eye on things?"  
Kinro stood at attention. "Of course."

When Senku finished gathering everything he needed, he turned to his friends and said, "Let's get going, everyone. Something tells me we'll run into some trouble, but let's not dwell on that _if _factor.  
"We're behind you every step of the way!" Said Chrome.  
Senku picked at his ear. "Actually, we'll be behind Ginro every step of the way. The bodyguard needs to do his job."  
Kohaku laughed. "Why do I feel like I'm going to enjoy seeing this?"

As the group left to gather the remaining materials, they came across the hot springs.  
"This is where I gather Ruri's water." She crosses her arms and looked at Senku. "I thought you said we were headed somewhere dangerous."  
Senku sighed. "It does get dangerous." His eye twitched. "Ginro! Keep your spear forward."  
"Huh?"  
Senku took the spear to show Ginro an example. "The spear acts as a sensor. That's why I went through the trouble of making it because that's what it's used for. Take a good look; if the tip starts to turn black, you'll be dead."  
Yae gasped. She knew exactly what Senku was referring to, but she didn't want to come out and say it in case it resulted in everyone turning tail and heading back.  
Senku glanced at her and nodded and then looked back to everyone. "This is the most dangerous enemy we face and the biggest hurdle we have to jump over in order require the sulfa drug. Hope you're all ready."  
Kohaku nodded. Anything for my sister!"

Later on, the group stopped at a river for a rest.  
"Damn. No fish." Said Chrome.  
"I know," Said Senku. "Nothing but emerald green liverwort."  
"Then that must mean we're not far from our goal." Said Yae.  
Senku nodded at her.  
"And that means the greatest hurdle is just up ahead." Said Kohaku.  
"Uh..." Yae pointed over at Ginro. "Don't you think we should take care of him first?"  
Poor Ginro was walking carefully and slowly in circles while talking to himself.  
Senku groaned and ran up to him. "You dumb ass! For that to work properly, you have to stay in front of us!"  
Ginro cried. "I'm scared! You said I was gonna die!"

Kohaku and the others made their way over. "Hand over the spear." She said. "If you can't do it, then I will."  
Yae appeared beside her lioness friend. "I'd be more than happy to do it too, Ginro."  
Senku raised one brow. "The hell you will. You're staying BEHIND the spear. Got that?"  
Yae was taken back by his sudden demand. "Oh, uh...okay."  
Ginro then shouted. "No! I'll do it! It's fine!" He gripped the spear tighter in his hands. "I can do it!"  
With that said, the group continued, getting closer to their goal.

The final steps to reaching their destination was a tedious climb. With Ginro leading the way and Kohaku right behind, Yae managed to keep up with Chrome just a few paces ahead.  
She hauled herself up over the ledge and on to the next piece of land, all the while Senku struggled to keep up.  
The mad scientist reached up to take hold of the ledge and haul himself up, but instead, he grabbed on to something softer, pulling at it to try and get himself over the ledge.

Yae squeaked as senku grabbed her ass, clutching the fabric of her dress in his hands. "Oh shit!" But it was too late.  
Yae fell back, toppling over Senku in the process.  
_Thud! _  
"Careful!" Chrome ran over and peeked over the edge to look down at the two. "Are you two okay?"  
Senku rubbed his head. "Yeah, we're fine."  
"Do you need my help?"  
"No, Chrome."  
Chrome shrugged. "Well, okay then."  
Yae hopped to her feet. "Why do I feel like you did that on purpose."  
"I didn't!" Senku said defensively.  
Yae smirked. "I'm teasing." She climbed over the ledge and then helped Senku.  
"So it would appear we found the source of our greatest material."  
Kohaku gazed out at the land before her. "I'm not sure what we're gathering, but I can at least appreciate this view."

The group stood together at the top. The land before them were mountains surrounding an emerald lake that sparkled as the light from the sun reflected off it. It was breathtaking.  
"So beautiful..." Yae said to herself.  
Senku stole a glance her way. He could see the view of the lake reflecting in her glasses; her big brown eyes full of wonder.  
"Yeah...beautiful." Senku reluctantly tore his gaze away from his classmate and turned his attention back on the lake.

As Chrome set the empty bottles down, a serious look came upon Senku's face. Something was definitely on his mind.  
"What's the matter, Senku?" asked Chrome.  
"No. Everything is perfect. The green water we're here to collect is right in front of us, but the geography bugs me."  
Yae was sure she was thinking the same as him but stayed quiet just in case she wasn't.  
Senku explained himself further. "The poison gases that form here, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, are heavier than air. They settle in places like this one."  
Yae rested her hands on her hips. "And that what the spear is supposed to warn us about."  
"Oh! I get it now!" Said Chrome.  
Senku nodded. "The silver reacts to the hydrogen sulfide and turns it black instantly."  
Yae looked wearily over at Ginro. "Then that must mean..."  
Senku gasped. "Get back, Ginro!"

Senku, Chrome, and Yae were all too far away to stop Ginro from getting himself killed. Luckily, Kohaku was there and he pulled him back. Right at that moment, three birds dived into the water, almost vaporizing in an instant.  
Everyone gasped. Unable to believe what they just witnessed. But something even more strange happened. Ginro waved his arms in front of his face, telling some invisible person to go away.  
"Stop it, Ginro. You're safe. No one is there." Kohaku did her best to try and calm him.  
"What's the deal with this water?" Said Chrome.  
Yae beat Senku to the punchline. "Sulfuric avid." She looked at Senku. "Isn't that right?"  
Senku nodded. "That's exactly right by ten billion percent. It was discovered by an alchemist is the eighth century."  
"And that means, without this stuff, we can make the cure-all medicine for Ruri." Said Kohaku.  
"Nope. We'll need to find a secure way to collect it."  
Yae rapped her chin in her index finger. "Is it possible to make gas masks?"  
Senku looked at her surprised. "That's not a bad idea, Yae! Let's head back and get started!"

When they returned, Kohaku suggested that if the masks didn't work she could quickly gather the sulfuric acid.  
"With my speed I could do it!"  
Senku put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "It doesn't matter how fast you are, it will kill you in an instant. Don't you understand how dangerous this is? The masks are our only way of retrieving that sulfuric acid. We'll make it work! With chemistry, it's the only way to fight a chemical enemy."

That evening, when they had finished making the gas mask, senku told everyone that this could be done by trial and error. They needed to see how much.  
"An error would mean death."  
Yae gulped. "Let's not go down that route."  
"Don't worry," Senku told her. "I'm not going to let you die."  
"Yeah," said Chrome. "Now, let's make my gas mask!"  
This was quickly brought to Senku's attention. "You don't need one." He told Chrome. "Because you're not coming with." He then looked at Yae. "And neither are you. This is something I'm doing alone."  
"What? You're crazy!" Yae said to him.  
Senku picked at his ear again. "This is far too dangerous. If I don't survive this—"  
Yae stomped her foot. "What the hell are you talking about? So you think you can just do it alone? Is that right?"  
Kohaku reached out to her friend, but Yae swatted her hand away. "Yae, trust Senku and what he says."  
"No! What Senku is suggesting is suicide!"  
"I didn't say that I was going alone because I'll die." He was about to say more but Yae stormed off, pissed as all hell.  
Chrome crossed his arms. "You were saying?"

Hot tears gathered at the corners of Yae's eyes as she ran back to Chrome's hut. She didn't know where to turn to, and going to the village with tears in her eyes would only spark suspicion. She climbed to the top and slammed the door shut. There she lighted some candles and pondered in thought while she rummaged through Chrome's collection as if doing that would give her the answer to change Senku's mind. It was near impossible to do that when came to him. Senku wasn't the type of person to back down so easily, then again neither was she. So why did she run?

Yae sniffed and blinked back her tears. This was no time to be crying.  
Suddenly, the door to the hut creaked open.  
"So this is where you ran off to."  
Yae stiffened. "Go away."  
"Still mad at me?" Yae heard him close the door.  
"I said go away."  
Senku ignored her and plopped down next to her. It was quiet for a moment while Senku fought to find the right choice of words to say next. "Chrome is coming with me. That dumb ass is too eager to die."  
"So you gave in to him but not me?" She grumbled.  
Senku sighed. He saw this coming. "He put up a pretty good argument. You, on the other hand, gave up too soon."  
Yae whipped her head around. "I did not! I just didn't see the point in arguing with an idiot who doesn't care about living or dying!"  
Senku kept his cool as he continued to stare at Yae in the eyes. He could see his reflection in her glasses. "And here I thought you were doing so well today when you brought of the idea for gas masks. I was so proud, and then you run off because I won't let you tag along with this time?" He scoffed. "Talk about being a child."  
"I am not a child!"  
"Then prove it." He told her, inching closer to her face.  
Yae was silent for a moment. "I don't have to prove anything." She sniffed again.  
Senku raised a brow. "You've been crying." He swiped her glasses from her face.  
"Hey, give those back!" She reached for them but Senku held them further back from her grasp. "I said to give those back!" She lunged forward, bringing Senku down and straddling him. She squinted, doing her best to stare Senku down—not to mention she was no half-blind now. "And I have NOT been crying!"  
"I'll give you your glasses back if you admit to being a child and crying."  
"No!"  
"Then forget it. I'll break them."  
"I'll just force you to make me a new pair." She continued to reach for her glasses but Senku tossed them across the hut.

Yae bolted forward, but Senku was faster and he held her back by the end of her dress. He pulled her down, straddling her now.  
"You'll _force _me?" Yae fought with him for a few seconds but Senku pinned her hands to the floor. "You want to know why I refuse to let you come along?" When Yae didn't answer, Senku continued. "It's because your my friend and I actually care what happens to you."  
"What about Chrome? Isn't he your friend?"  
"Not that kind of friend."  
Yae stopped fussing and stared at Senku, shocked. "What?"  
Senku smirked and shook his head. "Don't get the wrong idea. Yes, Chrome is my friend, but you have a brain like mine. I can't have you be wasting your life."  
"Healing Ruri would not be wasting my life."  
For once, Senku was finding it difficult to argue with her. "Knowledge is power, Yae. If I'm gone, who will stand up to Tsukasa. Without science, we're done for." He released his grip on her, taking a chance.  
Still laying with her back on the floor and Senku on top, Yae brought her hands to her chest and clutched her dress. "Please don't say that."  
"What? That we'd be fucking screwed?"  
Yae gently shook her head. "No. Talking about yourself dying." The tears were forming again and this time she couldn't stop them. They ran down the sides of her temples. "I would be really sad if you died. So would everyone else." She paused. "Honestly, Senku. It would do you some good to be more sympathetic."  
"Sympathetic...?" Senku leaned in and dried the tears from one side. He was so close to her face that Yae could feel his breath on her. "Is this sympathetic enough for you?" His voice was low and quiet. He leaned back then, just as he was before, still giving her a serious look. "Stay here, Yae. Can you do that for me? That's the task I'm giving you. Can you do it?"  
"Only if you promise that you'll come back alive and unharmed. Both of you."  
"I can't promise anything, Yae. You know this." He stood up and retrieved Yae's glasses. "Here," he said as he helped her up. "What I can promise you is that Chrome and I will do our best. Is that good enough?"  
Yae rubbed her glasses on her dress to remove the smudges. "That's the weakest promise I've ever heard."  
Senku smiled. He was finally getting somewhere with her. "Ah, good. So we're okay then." He turned to leave.  
"Senku, wait!" Yae said.  
Senku was a foot away from her, but still, he felt the need to turn around and look at her. "What is it?"  
"I remembered something just now."  
This surprised Senku. Perhaps something he had said or done triggered a memory. "Tell me!" He said earnestly.  
Yae didn't think she'd get this reaction out of him, but she was happy about it nonetheless. "It's nothing special, I don't think, but I used to sit behind you in science class." She pondered in thought for a second more. "Yes, that's right. The room was white with a chemistry table set up and everything. There are other students, too, but they're all fuzzy. But it's you I remember clearly."  
Senku smiled charmingly at her. He reached for her braid and brought it to his nose, sniffing it—her ribbon too. "I know." He told her.  
Yae blushed. She was stunned and could do nothing but watch Senku leave. Her heart was pounding. She wanted Senku to do it again.  
_Senku...do you mean to tell me you've always known—have always seen me?_

The next morning, after they had made their chemical barrier to fight against the poison gas, it was time to finally get over that hurdle.  
"Time to bring home some of that sulfuric acid and make our cure-all drug!" Chrome was super excited as he clenched his fists.  
"Be careful," Kohaku said.  
Chrome laughed. "Who do you think you're talking to?"  
Yae put her hands on her hips. "Seriously. Please come back safe and sound."  
Senku gave her another agreeable smile. "Don't worry. We'll be back with our prize soon enough. You can bet your ass on it!"

The two boys said goodbye and went on their way back toward the emerald green lake. Yae mentally kicked herself for not going with, but this was something Senku would absolutely not tolerate. Besides, he gave her a mission, one that he was counting on her to fulfill if anything were to happen to him.  
Yae clutched her dress again.  
Senku...now that I know you exist, how will I keep on living if you die? Who will help me get my memories back? You promised me! Friends don't break promises.

As the day went on, Yae paced back and forth near Chrome's hut. All the while, Ginro was still sulking. She could hear old man Kaseki too.  
"Guess I'll just leave this third gas mask here." He scratched his head. "I don't even know why I made it in the first to place." He stood up and walked away.  
Yae watched as Ginro got up and took the gas mask.  
"I know what you're planning." Yae walked up to him.  
"Are you going to try and stop me?"  
Yae shook her head. "No. In fact, I would feel ten billion percent better if you went after them. I have this sinking feeling in my gut that those two won't be able to stay out of trouble."  
Ginro gripped his spear even tighter. "I refuse to be a coward. I'm the bodyguard!" He looked at Yae. "I'll make sure they're safe!" And he ran off.

Even after hearing those words, Yae still felt uncertain. Senku was bound to get himself into some sort of trouble without her there to keep an eye on him. She grabbed her braid and twisted it, letting it spin out once it could no longer twist in the same direction. She then played with the ribbon, trying desperately to remember the way Senku did it.  
_Everyone...please come back safe!_

**I had a hard time with this chapter. There wasn't a lot for me to work with. Still, I hope you enjoyed it all the same.**


	9. Chapter nine

Just as Yae was about to head to the Emerald lake herself, the three boys returned with stupid grins plastered on their faces.  
Suika ran forward, elated for their victorious return. "Welcome back!"  
"We have sulfuric acid!" Chrome exclaimed.  
Kohaku's face lit up with joy. "Then that means we can finally make the drug to save Ruri!"  
Chrome slowed to a walking pace and stopped in front of Kohaku. "Have some patience will ya? Did you forget what that crazy roadmap of Senku's looked like?"  
"That long-ass one?" Kohaku questioned. "Please, don't remind me."  
Senku gave a short laugh. "Don't worry. It won't be long now. We almost have everything we need." He looked over at Yae who had yet to say anything about their return. Senku thought for sure she would have said something by now. "Is there something on your mind, Yae?"  
Yae shook her head. "No." She lied.  
Senku shrugged. If she didn't want to talk, she didn't want to talk. There was obviously something bothering her. "Well anyway," he turned toward everyone else. "We almost have all the materials we need. It's just a matter of lighting everything up on all the dark spots on the roadmap, one by one."

While everyone headed to the laboratory, Yae stayed standing still, looking at her feet.  
"Are you coming or not?" Senku asked.  
Yae looked up and shook her head. "No. What do you need me for?"  
Senku sighed. "Are you still mad about earlier?" _Damn. Girls are so hard to handle. _He thought.  
Yae scrunched her brows. "You should have let me help you."  
Senku dismissed the idea of telling her how Chrome almost died and if not for Ginro he would have. "I didn't want you coming because I knew you would be safer here. If that pisses you off—"  
"I'm not pissed off." Yae suddenly said. "I'm disappointed. What, you think I'm not capable?"  
This surprised Senku. "Oh, you're capable. And too valuable at the same time to lose. Got that?" He walked off, joining the rest of the group.  
Yae took a step forward. She wanted to follow after him, but she couldn't find it in herself to do it. The next step for them in retrieving the cure-all drug was vaguely familiar to Yae, so she didn't see the point in following along. _If I'm so damn useful, why am I always one step behind you?_  
Yae walked off into the forest to be alone and clear her head. Now that she didn't have to worry about anyone dying in the Emerald lake, she could breathe again.

It was in the forest that Yae suddenly remembered something. _Ah, so that's what Senku meant when he said that I would almost beat him. _  
It was clear to Yae now that Senku was a natural genius. And no matter how hard Yae studied, Senku always had a little bit more to offer to the table.  
"My, my..." said a voice. "You look to be deep in thought."  
Yae spun around quickly and found Asagiri Gen. "What do you want?"  
"Nothing. I was just checking up on you guys."  
"Why?"  
Gen sighed. "Must you treat me so harshly?"  
"I don't trust you."  
"Oh? You don't? Why, Yae, that hurts me to hear you say that."  
"I don't care."  
Gen shivered. "And so blunt, too!"  
"What do you want, Asagiri Gen?"  
"I'm just observing. Nothing more."  
Yae raised a brow. "For whom? Tsukasa?"  
Gen wiped the smirk off his face. "No. For myself. However, speaking of Tsukasa. You may want to watch out. He's looking for you. Luckily for you, I told him you were nowhere to be found. Poor Yae Sawa is either dead or still petrified!" He pretended to cry. When he didn't get a reaction out of Yae, he continued. "Tsukasa continues to look for you. He wants you."  
Yae gulped. "He...wants me? But I don't even know who he is."  
"Be wary of where you take your daily strolls. That's all I have to say for now. Tell Senku I say hi."  
Asagiri Gen's warning was abundantly clear to Yae and she hurried back to the others, no longer feeling safe on her own.

Yae popped out of the forest, getting a surprise she had much rather stirred clear from. Forever.  
Senku and Chrome were peeing in a glass bottle, their dicks in full view. Yae screeched, flailing her hands into the air and falling backward.  
Chrome yelped, turning the other way to avoid any more confrontation involving his penis and Yae's eyes. But in doing so, poor Kohaku was nearly sprayed with piss.  
Kohaku screamed and ran in the opposite direction. "Stop it! What the hell is wrong with you?"  
"I can't! It's already coming out! Once it starts there's no holding it in!" Chrome relieved himself.

Meanwhile, Senku was barely bothered by this and continued to piss in the bottle. "Ah. Ammonia acquired!" He shook his member to get rid of the excess pee and then covered himself.  
"Are you seriously thinking of making Ruri drink that shit?" Kohaku asked once she returned and the boys were decent again.  
"Of course not! Relax." He glanced behind his shoulder and saw Yae pull herself together. A smug grin spread across his face.  
Yae's face was beet red. The damage was done. There was no going back on this one. She had been presented with a VIP view of the boys' manly parts. No matter how much she wanted to erase it from her memory, the moment would be forever engraved in her brain.

"We have lowered it down to three items," Senku told his team.  
"Acetic anhydride, sodium bicarbonate, and aniline." Yae cut him off. If she wanted to beat him at his own game she would have to pick up her speed.  
"Ten billion points to the girl with the braid!" Senku cheered.  
"It sounds like some kind of spell," Kohaku admitted.  
"But we can't make any of that without alcohol. Which there is plenty of that in that village. Good luck getting your hands on it." Yae said.  
"But we can make our own!" Said Chrome excitedly. He ran out of the laboratory.  
"That's a lot of work." Said Senku. We'll need all the help we can get."  
Kaseki stepped forward. "Alcohol? If you win the Grand Bout that's tomorrow, the village will be able to provide all the alcohol you want."  
"Wait! That's tomorrow?" Chrome was shocked.  
"The timing is perfect. Ginro and Kinro will be participating. If one of them wins, we can take all the alcohol." Senku thought out loud.  
Yae tugged at Senku's sleeve. "Senku...can I talk to you alone?" She motioned her head inside the laboratory.  
Senku took a second to look at everyone else talking amongst themselves and then looked back at Yae. He nodded. "Sure."

The two walked to the farthest end of the table, away from the door and any ears listening in.  
"What's bothering you, Yae?"  
"When you all went on ahead, I took a walk in the forest to clear my head."  
"And? Did you remember something important?"  
Yae shook her head. "No. But I ran into Asagiri Gen."  
Senku's eyes went wide for a second. "What did he want?"  
"Nothing. He told me he was 'just checking in'. He also says hi."  
Senku scoffed. "That idiot should not be hanging around here. I don't care how curious he is to know how we're doing."  
"He said something else too."  
Senku gave her his undivided attention.  
"He says that Tsukasa is looking for me."  
Senku clenched his fists. "That bastard!" He said behind gritted teeth. "What does he want with you?"  
Yae shook her head, wringing her hands together. "I don't know. I don't even know who he is."  
"That you know of, that is."  
"Huh?"  
"You can't remember your past. You have amnesia. So, maybe you _do _know Tsukasa."  
Yae clasped her hands together so tight they went white. "God...I hope that's not true." She felt sick to her stomach all of a sudden. She didn't want to have any connections with anyone who would want to hurt Senku. And to think that she might—

Senku reached for her hands, releasing them from their tight grip and held on to them gently. "Yae, no matter what happens, I won't let Tsukasa hurt you or take you away. As long as I'm around, you'll be fine." He looked her straight in the eyes as he told her this. The moment was becoming more intense by the second and Senku cleared his throat. "I mean, we have the power of science on our side, after all. There's no way we can lose!" He let go of her hands. _Shit, that was close. I didn't mean to get so close to her. _He gulped and then said, "I'm going to be taking part in the Grand Bout!" He pointed at himself with his thumb.  
"You're what?!" Was everyone else's reaction as they came back to the laboratory.  
Ginro and Kinro were there too.  
"I signed him up!" Kinro said. "He's over fourteen and not married, so why not?"  
Yae walked up to him and bopped him on the head. "You idiot!"  
Senku put his hand on Yae's shoulder and pulled her back some. "Yeah, and there's no rule that says someone from outside the village can't join."  
Yae looked at him surprised. "You mean, you're okay with this?"  
Kohaku cleared her throat. "Senku, no offense but you're not a fighter."  
"All I have to do is tire Magma out. Ginro and Kinro will do the rest."  
"And," began Ginro, "if we go up against each other it'll be easy." He and Senku acted out a scene where Ginro knocked him down.  
"Oh darn. Ya got me."  
"Yeah! And the more people on our side the better!"  
Kinro stepped forward. "You're rigging the game! Rules are rules. I'm not going to lose on purpose."  
Senku and Ginro ganged up on Kinro, telling him to not worry and save his energy.  
Kinro pushed them away. "Kohaku are you okay with rigging the game?"  
The lioness sighed. "If it helps save Ruri, then I'm fine with it."  
Kinro was more than surprised. He was left standing there, dumbfounded, while everyone else went on with their business.

That evening, before returning to the village, Senku called out to Yae, telling her to wait.  
"What's the matter, Senku? Having second thoughts?"  
Senku laughed. "You wish! No, I wanted to talk to you more about Asagiri Gen."  
Yae shrugged. "There's not much else to say."  
"Just tell me everything, okay."  
Yae stared at him for a second and then took a breath. "He spared me just as he did you. Tsukasa doesn't know where I am. As far as he's concerned, I'm still petrified."  
"Hmm. Good."  
"But Asagiri Gen did tell me that Tsukasa would never stop looking for me, and that I should be careful where I go from now on." She wrapped her arms around herself; a small chill ran down her spine.  
Summer was saying goodbye.  
"Well," said Senku. "Wherever you go now, I'll go."  
Yae blushed. "N-no reason for that!" She protested.  
"Will you stop telling me no? I'm trying to be chivalrous here." _Plus, it kind of turns me on. _He admitted to himself.  
Yae held a hand to her mouth trying not to laugh but failed and burst into fits of laughter.  
"Hey, don't laugh!"  
After Yae was able to contain herself, she waved a hand in front of her face—which was still red from laughing—and said to Senku, "Okay, Senku. Whatever you say."  
Senku nodded to her and then looked over the bridge at the village. "You better hurry back. Tomorrow is the big day. Get some rest."  
"Right. Of course. Goodnight, Senku."  
"Good fight, Yae." But before Yae could take another step, Senku grabbed her hand, forcing her to look back at him. He looked at her seriously. "If Tsukasa finds you and he does anything to hurt you, I'll kill him. And not just with science, but with my own two hands."  
Yae blinked a few times and then gave him a weak smile. "I'm sure it won't come to that." She reluctantly pulled away from him and walked back to the village.

Yae tossed and turn all throughout the night. She was curled up into a ball and thinking about what Senku said about Tsukasa.  
_Silly Senku. Killing is wrong. I hope it never comes to that, because I don't want you to bloody your hands for me.  
_In time, Yae stretched her body out. The hut was completely dark; she could hear the waves crashing against the rocks.  
Everything was so quiet at night, so hearing the waves that were so far below, were easy to listen to. It was like a lullaby.  
_Tomorrow._ Thought Yae. _Senku will be here in the village tomorrow. He'll come and..and...  
_Yae trailed her and down her belly. She stopped just above her private. The image of Senku's dick was clear in her mind. It was only for a second, but that second was all she needed.  
She rolled over on to her side again and shook her head as she decided sleep was more important than masturbating. Come to think of it, had she ever masturbated before? What did it feel like? She was embarrassed with herself for even being curious about it.  
And finally, sleep took her in it's arms, and the sound of the waves soothed her restless mind.

The next day just after breakfast, Senku was finally making his way over the bridge and to the village. Yae stood by Kohaku's side.  
"It's been nearly six months since Senku arrived."  
"It's gone by so fast." Yae said in response to her friend.  
It was then that Ruri came down to meet with Senku. She was obviously very curious about him.  
"Senku?"  
Senku turned to look at her. "So you're Ruri. We finally meet, huh?"  
"There is something I must ask you. What is your surname? Your family name, I mean." Ruri asked. But before Senku could answer her, the sickly Priestess spoke up again. "Is it Ishi—" But her voice was lost as she fell to her knees and started coughing again.  
She was quickly taken away on a cot to rest. No one else was aloud to touch her besides those who stood guard. Any help from Senku was definitely out of the question.  
"I'm sure you have a billion questions for her." Said Yae.  
"More like ten billion. We'll have to have a nice, long chat once this Grand Bout is over with."

Just then, Magma opened his mouth about not having to kill Ruri because she would probably die as soon as they married. This caught Kohaku's attention, and everyone else's too, but fighting him at that exact moment would cost them everything.  
"He'll get what he deserves soon enough." Chrome told her.  
Kohaku but her tongue. As much as it pained her, Chrome was right.

While the draw-board was being set up, Senku and company went over what would prove best as a victory. Of course, defeating magma right off the bat would seem like the simplest thing to do, but Magma was tough and would not go down so easily. If they worked as a team and tired him out, then that was their best chance.  
When the draw-board was completed, the group came face to face with the line-up for each match. The start was not good. Magma against Kinro!

Luckily the match did not start right away. Each team was given some time to prepare, so Senku and company headed back to the laboratory.  
"This is bad! This is seriously bad!" Ginro was down on his knees, shaking.  
"C'mon, man! Pull it together. I'm sure there's something we can do." Said Chrome.  
It was at that moment Senku held up a bottle with yellow liquid. "What can we do? Hah! A science user doesn't count on being lucky. A Grand Bout is rigged by doping with this kingdom special science power-up drink!"  
"Does it have some crazy drug in it?" asked Chrome.  
"Sadly no," Senku said. "It's perfectly safe." He held up three fingers. "It's made from tea, honey, and sweet flag. The caffeine's a stimulate, the sweet flag will keep you cool, and the honey will jack your blood sugar through the roof."  
Ginro quickly grabbed it and chugged it.  
Kinro hit him over the head a few times. "Who said you could drink all of it?"  
"What? We're all out?"  
"Idiot! If you lose to Magma, what will I do?"  
Chrome looked into the pot. "He ate all the raw ingredients!"  
Senku seemed impressed. "Dude, he finished off all the sweet flag too!"  
Yae rubbed her chin. "That's the grass growing all over the river, huh?"  
Suika jumped up. "I'll go pick some!" She started bouncing away. "I may not be competing but I can still make myself useful!"  
Yae turned to the group. "Let's not waste any more time. Let's head back before they think we ran away."  
"Good thinking." Said Kohaku.

As they were making their way over the bridge, Mantel came running after them.  
"Suika fell into the river while trying to pick up herbs!" He yelled. "She'll drown! Quick, Kohaku! You're the fastest. You gotta go after her!"  
Senku urked. "You're ten billion percent lying." He was beyond annoyed.  
Mantel wasn't sure what to say next. The look on his face explained it all. "I-I'm not lying. I was just walking by and I saw her fall in."  
Yae pointed a finger at him. "Then why did you go in after her instead of wasting precious time coming back here to tell us?"  
Senku and Chrome walked over to him and pushed him down with their feet. "That's because this asshole is lying, Senku said.  
"How do you know she was there picking herbs?" Said Chrome.  
Senku didn't let up. "Come back in ten billion years if you want to have a brain battle with the science team, you blatant idiot."  
Kohaku put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I know he's lying. But I should still check up on Suika, just in case."  
"Kohaku, you're the last to stand against Kohaku. If you don't come back in time, we'll lose."  
"I'm the fastest. I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise." She looked down at Mantle and growled. "You're a despicable man, Mantle."

There was no more time to sit around and wait. The match was starting.  
Everyone was on edge because no one expected Kinro go up against Magma first.  
The match began with Magma telling Kinro to kiss his feet, but Kinro kept his cool and told Manga that he was not the same man he was before. This, of course, had Magma laughing his ass off.  
"You've never won against me." Said Magma. "What could possibly be different?"  
Kinro gripped his weapon. "I have no choice but to win, for my friends! Your filthy is nothing compared to what motivates me."  
And the match began.

While Kinro fought with Magma, there was more to worry about.  
From the corner of Yae's eye, she spotted Mantle with a rock. "Hey, stop right there, mantle!"  
"Yeah," said Chrome. "Jasper is an excellent referee. There's no way he'll let you get away with that."  
Mantle stopped what he was doing and dropped the rock.  
"Ah nuts..." Senku let peculiar items drop from underneath his clothes. There were dozens of them!  
"Where were you keeping all that?" Yae's mouth dropped.  
"Scientists secret." He grinned.

The fight seemed to slow down. Magma was taking this seriously now. Yae could tell that Kinro was hesitating, but why? He was doing so well before. Why was he holding back now?  
At that moment Suika appeared.  
"Suika, you're safe!" Said Chrome. "So Mantle was lying!"  
Suika walked up to Senku. She looked at with earnest. "Senku, I think Kinro has the fuzzy sickness like me. He's squinting his eyes like I used to!"  
But no matter Suika's warnings, Kinro swung at Magma, missing by a long shot. Magma found his chance and went after Kinro, almost knocking him senseless.  
"Shit! That was a direct hit!" Chrome shouted.  
Suika ran to the to of the stairs where Ruri sat and started spinning. "I'm going to do everything I can to put myself to good use!" She quickly jumped off and tossed her watermelon hat at Kinro. "It's the eyes of Science, Kinro!"  
Kinro grabbed the hat, sliding it on effortlessly.  
"What's the deal with the goofy mask?" Magma ran after him, taking his weapon and thrusting it forward. Kinro easily dodged it by side-stepping his attack. No matter where or how fast Magma swung, Kinro dodged every blow handed to him. At last! Hope seemed to be within reach!  
"What the hell is wrong with you?" With one last swing, Magma's attack was stopped.  
"I'm grateful for the eyes of science, Suika, Senku!" He lifted his weapon and rammed Magma in the gut with all his strength, and then finally his face, knocking him on his ass for good, and shutting him the fuck up.  
Kinro stood over his opponent. "Listen up, Magma. If I had the eyes of science before, I would have defeated you long ago and surpassed your strength."

But was that it? Would Magma go down so soon? Yae clenched her fists.  
"Yae?" Senku noticed her stiffen.  
"I don't think the match is over just yet..."  
Senku looked back over at the match and crossed his arms. Things weren't over between and Magma Kinro just yet.

**Author's note: Your thoughts would be much appreciated! **


	10. Chapter ten

Kinro stepped up to Magma, his weapon at his side.  
"Is that watermelon mask of yours sorcery?" asked Magma. "That's against the rules."  
Kinro nodded. "Rules are rules. We'll have to ask and confirm."  
Magma sighed, an expression of being at ease looked forced. "I can barely speak. The match is over. Ask Jasper. If he agrees then I accept my loss."  
Kinro turned, asking Jasper if the events that had just transpired were against the rules. "Referee, the mask was clearly thrown in by Suika to help me. Knowing that, I still wore it. If I have broken the rules, then I've lost. The rules are rules."  
Jasper cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. "You didn't throw it at him or anything. The mask is just an article of clothing. Therefore..." But before he could finish his sentence, Magma bolted toward Kinro and slammed him hard.

Poor Suika's mask broke into pieces and laid sprawled out.  
Yae put her hands over her mouth and gasped. "That should be considered cheating!" She blurted out. "Magma was already on his knees! He basically gave up! What gives?"  
Without looking at her, Senku clutched her arm, signaling her to stop. He then let go of her and Yae shut her mouth tight. She was pissed.  
"I knew you'd go and ask!" Magma shouted. "You're a fucking proper one, huh, Kinro? You just can't help it."  
Jasper looked unimpressed. Still, he had to call the match. "Winner is Magma!"  
"Damn, that dirty bastard!" Chrome slammed his fist into his palm.  
Yae nodded in agreement. But before she could say anything, Ginro ran up to his brother.  
"Kinro! Kinro!" He cried.  
Kinro struggled to open his eyes. "I'm sorry."  
"Thank goodness you're alive!"  
Senku sighed. "Well, whatever the case, this is a team battle. As long as someone beats Magma, we win."  
"Yeah," Yae agreed. "I'm sure that match did a number on him. Maybe we really do stand a chance?"  
Senku gave her one nod. "That's what matters the most."

The match had barely been over when the next battle was called.  
"Round two: Chrome and Mantle." Jasper raised his arm to signal the fight. "Forward."  
Chrome looked surprised. "Oh, I'm up."  
"You can do it, Chrome!" Yae bumped fists with him.  
Senku picked at his ear. "I'm more worried about the next match. If Kohaku doesn't get back in time, she'll be disqualified."  
Suika scanned the area for Kohaku. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen her beautiful lioness friend. "Where exactly _is _Kohaku?"  
"She ran off earlier to look for you." Ginro explained.  
"What?" Suika spun around. "Oh no! I have to go find her!" The poor girl didn't get far as she had fallen over her own feet.  
"Sit still," Senku told her. "You can't see anything without your glasses."

The match between Chrome and Mantle was less than impressive. It looked like two children fighting over a toy.  
Yae was busy keeping her sights on Magma though. The creep was talking to himself again. And as he looked over, Yae finally noticed what—or rather who—he had seen.  
Running across the bridge was Kohaku. She was close!  
"Mantle!" Magma cried. "Lose." He took his finger and slid it across his own throat. "Right now!"  
Mantle smiled creepily and fell over. "Oh, spare me! I'm so scared! Mercy!"  
"And the winner is: Chrome!"  
Yae took a step toward the bridge. Kohaku was nearly there! "Come on, Kohaku!"  
"Third match." Jasper started. "Due to Kohaku's absence, the winner is Senku!"  
Yae felt her stomach flop. It was all over now!  
"She didn't make it back in time!" Suika's eyes filled with tears.  
Kohaku fell to her knees, exhausted from running. "Thank goodness you're alright." She brought Suika into a tight embrace. "I'm so glad Mantle was lying. All that matters is that you didn't drown."  
Suika's voice was small and trembling. "I'm sorry, Kohaku. You lost because of me."  
"There is nothing we can do about that. now. Besides, this was not your fault."  
Yae breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at Senku. He seemed calm enough, but he quickly became serious.  
"Now that we no longer have Kohaku, the only real fighting chance we have left is, Ginro the guard. You're all we've got."  
"Ginro the guard..." Ginro mumbled.  
Chrome whispered to Kohaku and Yae. "Does Ginro really stand a chance against Magma?"  
"To be honest, it'll be tough."  
Yae scratched her head. "Oh great..."

Ginro stood at attention with his back to his friends. "We're gaming the hell out of this Grand Bout. This doesn't mean the strongest is going to win." He then turned his head, cheeks full of green leaves. "Haven't you been wondering what I've had in my mouth this whole time?"  
"The raw ingredient for Senku's drink!" Chrome blurted.  
Senku raised a brow. "You've kept that in your mouth this whole time like a damn squirrel?"  
"I've been saving it for my match." Ginro said in his defense.

Next match was Ginro against Argo. It seemed obvious who would win, but then again, Ginro seemed to have been having stupid good luck lately.  
"Hey, Senku." Yae said. "Won't eating all those herbs give him the runs?"  
"Shhh," Senku presser a finger to her lips. "At this point, he's better off not knowing."  
Yae grabbed his finger. "You're too cruel." She said with a smirk.  
Senku gave her a generous grin and shrugged. "This will prove interesting." He took his finger back. "Next time, grab on to something bigger if you want to stop me."  
Yae's face flushed red. "Ack! Turn around and watch the match, stupid!"

Ginro's fight against Argo seemed promising. High on the raw material, Ginro's movements were slick. And even when they weren't and he would get a beating to the face, it didn't seem to phase him in the slightest. Ginro was on fire!  
Kinro's jaw dropped. "Is he under the impression that the herbs are making him stronger?"  
Senku chuckled. "He's probably never had caffeine before, so he's more than likely wired as hell. And his gullibility makes him fearless."  
Yae crossed her arms. She had to admit, the raw herbs were working. "Nothing wrong with that, I guess."  
All the while, Argo went at the young blonde, giving it his all.  
"That does nothing to me. What I have that you don't is the mind to trust in science!"  
Yae raised a brow and smacked a palm to her forehead. "Did he really just say that right now?" But no matter; everyone seemed impressed...even if he was completely shit-faced, and not in the good way.  
He stalked toward Argo, drawing him closer to the edge, and before the poor guy could do anything to help his situation, Ginro pushed him off.  
Jasper raised a hand. "Winner: Ginro!"

Unfortunately, the victory was short-lived. Ginro ran from the ring and across the bridge, screaming in pain. How he managed to run without shitting himself was a wonder to Yae. Still, his cries were unpleasant.  
"I knew it!" Said Suika. "He has he runs."  
Chrome crossed his arms. "That's not surprising after how much he ate."  
"Kinro, Suika," Senku said. "You two should go check on him. We'll need to stay here."

The match was already half way over.  
"If we let Magma make it to the match, it's game over." Senku said.  
Yae gulped. "I hadn't really thought about what would happen if he really won. What if he tries to make all the girls his wives?" She shuddered. "I'd throw myself from the cliff first."  
Kohaku nodded in agreement. "In the state that Ginro's in and you Senku...It's probable that there is a zero percent chance in defeating Magma."  
Yae grumbled. "Okay, that's it. Watch me jump, everyone."  
Senku held her back by her dress. "Slow down there. No sense in giving up. We still have to try. Besides, we have Chrome."  
Yae stopped struggling to free herself and glanced back at the match. With the determined look in Chrome's eyes, perhaps they stood at a chance at winning after all.  
"Magma, Chrome, forward!" And also, Ruri's life was in their hands. They absolutely could not lose!

It wasn't very hard to see that Chrome was truly determined to beat Magma no matter what. To let that bastard put his hands on Ruri was unthinkable.  
"There's no way Chrome can beat Magma if they go head-to-head." Kohaku said. "But this is a team battle!"  
"All we can do now is hope that Kinro's done enough damage to him."  
"And Chrome has been practicing so hard, too!" Suika said.  
"We believe in you, Chrome!" Yae called out.  
"Semi-final: Magma versus Chrome. Begin!"  
Chrome attacked first, and he was also the first to go down. Magma knocked him to the ground in one swing, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. It was a wonder Magma hadn't completely knocked him out cold.  
The crowed gasped. It was a nasty hit. And with all the damage Magma had inflicted upon Chrome already, one would think to lighten the blow of their attacks, but not Magma. He hit Chrome over the back again and again. No one was impressed by the brutal scene.  
"Surrender!" Ginro yelled.  
"Chrome is going to die!" Suika cried.  
"Special attack; Blinding!" Chrome tossed sand into Magma's eyes and jumped for Suika's broken mask. He huddled over it while Magma continued to beat him.

Yae took a step back, hand to her chest. Her heart beat fast, but not for the fact that Chrome was losing. Something had tugged at Yae's brain; a string that had been in a knot was beginning to free itself.  
_No, _thought Yae._ What is this feeling? Why am I so scared all of a sudden? I need to run. I need to get out of here!_  
She clutched her head with both hands and took a few more steps back. She could no longer watch the fight that was in front of her because she was seeing flashes of another one.  
Voices were yelling—laughing, too. So much pain and embarrassment. So much fear.  
"I don't want to remember _that_." She whispered.

Senku turned to find Yae in a state of panic. She was still holding her head; face looking down and hunched over. Senku tore his attention away from the fight long enough to snap Yae back to her old self.  
"Yae, what's going on? Can you hear me?" He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently to try and free her from her trance. "Yae!"  
Yae bounced back to her usual self; standing up straight, eyes blinking away tears.  
"What's gotten in to you? If the fighting bothers you that much, then take a break. We'll come find you after." He took his thumbs and rubbed away her tears. Even after he was done, he continued to cup Yae's face in his hands. He was trying his best to read the expression on her face. It was like nothing he had ever seen when looking at her. Yae was truly terrified, but not from today's fighting.  
"Oh, dear." Said a voice. "This doesn't look too good." Asagrir's Gen's voice seemed to grab their attention.

Just then, Chrome found his strength and stood. He balanced Suika's mask at the end of his weapon. "I'm Chrome. Science user Chrome!"  
"What's he doing with Suika's mask?" Kohaku asked.  
"He's got the wrong idea." Senku's eyes went wide. "Chrome is trying to use the lens on Suika's mask to start Magma's clothes on fire. That's clearly his intention." Senku went on to explain that the magnifying glass he used to start a fire was convex, and that meant to focus the light. But Suika's glasses were concave, which meant they spread light. "That means there's a ten billion percent chance Chrome's idea wont work."  
Yae gave her head one last rub to better clear her mind. "Chrome is a sitting duck out there. Magma is going to kill him!"  
Senku acted fast. "Chrome! You can't start a fire with concave lens!"  
"Don't worry, Senku. I'm a bit of a science user myself."  
Senku lightly gasped. "No way..."  
"He used the water from his tears and sweat to make a convex lens!" Yae could hardly keep her exciment at bay. Perhaps Chrome was really on to something.  
"Is that really going to start a fire, though?" asked Asagiri Gen.  
"Yeah, it's called a burning lens." Senku told him. "By the way, why are you here?"  
Asagiri smiled. "Never mind me. Shouldn't you be worried about Chrome?" His smile spread. "I need the kingdom of science to win. "I really want that bottle of cola."  
Senku scoffed. "You've been watching us this whole time, haven't you?"  
The smile on Asagiri Gen's face vanished. He was serious now. "How many seconds does he need to start the fire?"  
"Unfortunately, the math for that isn't so simple. I can figure it out though."

Yae, Gen, Kohaku, and even Suika and Kinro all watched and listened closely to what Senku had to say. He was spitting out random numbers, calculating heat and distance and other things most of his team of science didn't understand. But that was okay; not everyone needed to know all the crazy numbers running through Senku's head.  
"Sixty seconds." He finally said. "On the dot."  
"Alright," Asagiri ran ahead. "Just leave this to the mentalist now!" He made his way atop the highest hut and called out Magma's name. "Thanks for killing me the other day."  
Magma turned around in fear. "You're that damn sorcerer!"  
"How are you still alive?" Cried Mantle.  
Asagiri Gen gave them a sly smile. "With sorcery, of course." He started doing weird movements with his hands and then tossed something into the air that looked like confetti. "I just put a curse on you so that if you move an inch your heart will explode."  
"This is obviously sorcery and outside interference. It's cheating!"  
"Only if your heart explodes." Senku chimed in. "But if it's a bluff, then it's just a taunt. Nothing wrong with that. Why don't you try moving and see what happens?"  
"Take him down, Chrome!" Gen urged him. "Do it while he can't move!"  
"Oh, no! I can't do it! I'm too terrified to move!" Chrome's acting skills were pathetic.

It didn't matter if Chrome's acting was bad because Asagiri's threat was real enough.  
"Hurry, Chrome! My sorcery is fading! I can only hold him for a minute!"  
"Hah!" Magma laughed. "You're such a wimp. All I have to do is wait!"  
With the last remaining seconds that followed, a light flickered, and then a puff of smoke wafted through the air, and then suddenly Magma's clothes caught fire.  
"Now pat it." Senku said to himself.  
Magma did just that and more. His clothes quickly went up in flames.  
"It's a surface flash fire." Senku said.  
Kohaku's jaw hung open. "Incredible."  
"The flames will spread quickly across the surface of fluffy clothes."  
Yae glanced over at Senku. "You know, the more he struggles, the worse it will get." It wasn't a complaint or anything, just a fact.  
Senku gave a short laugh. "Oh well."

While Magma continued to roll around, Chrome cautioned him to stop.  
"I have no intention of becoming a murderer." He lifted his weapon. "So I'll do you the kindness of helping you."He ran at Magma, hitting him hard in balls and knocking him over the edge and into the sea.  
The look on Jasper's face was shock and relief. "Winner: Chrome!"  
"Yes! Magma is down!" Chrome cried out, happy that the match was over.  
The crowed cheered, happy that a brute like Magma got what was deserved of him.  
"That means the last contestants are: Senku, Chrome, and Ginro!" Suika cheered on.  
Yae grabbed Senku's hands. "You hear that, Senku! There's no way we can lose now. Our team of science has really done it!" Her eyes gleamed with hope. Also, her little freak-out episode seemed have been put at ease and was no longer bothering her. For now anyway.  
A very small blush hit Senku's cheeks. Her hands were warm and soft. "Hell yeah!" He grabbed on to Yae's hands in return and pulled her along. "It's total victory for the kingdom of science!"  
The team ran to Chrome, congratulating him. Everything was falling perfectly into place...even Yae's memories.

**Author's note: I'm getting married on the 26th of October (next week). My (future) husband and I will be taking a mini honeymoon trip for a week, and where we will be going will have little to no internet access. I think it's safe to say that the next chapter will not be out in exactly a week. Tonight I am posting this late because I picked up a shift at work and got home really late. I'm sure there are mistakes, but I am tired and will fix them later. For now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **


	11. Chapter eleven

When the cheering came to a stop it was time to get serious again.  
Yae spotted Asagiri Gen making his way to the bridge. "Hey, Gen, where are you going?"  
"I think it's best if I leave the village for now. I'm an outsider and I'm not competing. And I bet Kinro would throw a fit I didn't. I came here to have a little chat with you, Senku, but I'll be patient. We can discuss your end of the deal after you've taken over the village."  
Senku smirked. "Yeah, sure."  
Yae turned about quickly. "Wait. What deal?"  
But before either of them could answer, it was time to continue the Grand Bout, and Asagiri Gen was making his way across the bridge.

Jasper cleared his throat. "We will now continue on with the semi-finals. Senku versus Ginro! Come forward!"  
Yae took a breath. The tension was gone. They had this tournament in the palm of their hands now...at least that's what Yae thought.  
Ginro went after Senku like a mouse racing for the last piece of cheese. He slammed his weapon down hard, barely missing Senku.  
"What the hell has gotten into you, Ginro!" Senku yelled while running for his life.  
Ginro swing his weapon down again, bringing dirt up in the process. "What do you mean? You heard the girl. She said she'd marry anyone!"  
Kohaku sighed and Yae took more of this. The two girls stole glances at each other. "Ginro is no dense." Kohaku commented.  
Yae could only groan in agreement.  
"My time has time has come. It's the era of Ginro!" He took another swing at Senku.  
Yae bawled her hands into a fist and shouted. "Kick his ass, Senku!"  
Senku yelped as he jumped out of the way of Ginro constant attacks. "Yeah. Easier said than done!"  
Kinro's eyes went wide as he held his face. "You've got be kidding me!"  
Kohaku shuddered. "What a scumbag."

Ginro went on to talk about how the villagers would get to eat ramen every day and that everyone would have their own harem. "I'm going to turn this village into a place of all of our dreams!"  
Yae rolled her eyes while Kohaku nearly barfed. "I think I'm gonna be sick."  
"We have to take him down as soon as possible." Kohaku took a step forward, ready to interfere with the match.  
Yae yelled again. "Stop messing around and DO something, Senku!"

At that moment, on the corner of Yae's right eye, Chrome mustered up enough courage and threw Suika's mask. It landed not far from where Senku was standing.  
"I guess this leaves me with no other choice." Senku set his weapon on top of Suika's mask. What was he planning?  
This definitely put Ginro on edge. "Are you planning another one of your sorcery tricks? I won't let you!" Ginro came at Senku fast, hopping up and down as he beat his weapon against the ground.  
Senku raised his leg and slammed on the end of his weapon, causing the tip to shoot up like a skinny kid on one end of a titter-totter with a fat kid on the other. It nailed Ginro right in the balls—his jewels, as some called it. He fell to the ground face first and mouth foaming.  
Yae felt a _little _bit sorry for him.  
"The winner is...Senku!" Jasper quickly called the match.

Yae glanced over at Chrome. She only caught the end of what he was saying—something about saving Ruri—before he finally collapsed.  
_Uh-oh, _thought Yae. _C'mon, Chrome. Get up. You have to win Ruri's hand! _  
Senku stood over him, ready to get this over with quickly. "Alright, Chrome. Get up. It's the last round. Let's throw the match, and then you can marry Ruri and become chief of the village." He laughed. "This couldn't be more perfect. Talk about about a happy ending." But Chrome didn't budge. "Hey, stop screwing around and get up." It was useless.  
Suika pokes his head. "He's completely knocked out."  
"I guess when he saw that Ruri was out of harms way he passed out."  
Yae gasped. "Then that means..."  
Kohaku's face went pale.  
"Do we still get a final round?" Suika said in question. It didn't look like another match was happening.  
Jasper groaned. He had no other choice but to say it. "The new village chief and husband of the Priestess Ruri...is Senku!"

With the look on Senku's face, this was definitely something he hadn't thought to happen. He looked over Yae but all she could do was shrug. What was done was done.  
Senku sighed and picked at his ear. "Great. This just got a hell of a lot more annoying." He looked the former village Chief and said, "Just so we're clear, if I marry Ruri then this entire village is mine. Is that right?" He walked up to the priestess. "Then I guess I'll do it."

The image in Yae's head with Senku marrying her instead shattered. It was a nice image, but a fantasy at that. It left everyone else in a state of shock too.  
The former village chief stepped forward, obviously angry. "Hold it right there You outsider! Just who do you think you are? We can't let you become our chief!"  
Yae looked back and forth at the two as she watched them converse on unsteady ground.  
"My, my. If it isn't the former chief himself. To tell you the truth, I don't have a millimeter of interest in your lack of approval."

Whispers were spreading all around. Who were the villagers supposed to side with now?  
Senku smiled evilly. "Object all you want to. A win is a win. Now chop-chop! Bring the winner his Booz!"  
Kohaku groaned. "Can you not?"  
"Don't let this go to your head." Yae told him. But who was she kidding? Senku was a roll with his newly equipped ego. But surely enough the Booz was brought to him.  
"This pot is no good. It's all turned to vinegar." Said a villager.  
Senku was quick to jump on it. "I'll take it! We need that too."

Things were finally being put together when Ruri started having another coughing fit. Those near by ran to her side. The sound of her gasping for air chilled Yae to the bone. Were they already too late? She looked up at Senku, the expression on his face told her that they were running out of time.  
"Ruri!" Kohaku leaned over to check on her sister.  
"It's not that bad." Ruri told her. When she lifted her face from her hands blood stained her palms.  
Yae gave a small gasp, her head spinning slightly, and instead of seeing Ruri she saw someone else. It only lasted a second, but the woman Yae saw had similar features to herself.  
_Mom...?_  
Finally, Senku's voice broke Yae free from her thoughts. "Let's head back and finish the—" But before her could finish a few villagers approached him.  
"Hang on! Where do you think you're going? You're the guest of honor."  
"Yeah, have a drink with us." They wanted to celebrate his marriage and drink the day and night away.  
Senku got another one of those looks again that told Yae he was about to spit out something reckless.  
"Well...in that case...I want to divorce."  
Gaps erupted all throughout the village. Was Senku serious? Judging from his face, he had no desire to have a wife. Yae would lying to herself if she wasn't at least a bit relieved to hear him say that. And before more could be said, Senku took the vinegar and alcohol and dashed out of the village, yelling, "Hahaha! We scored a shit ton! Let's haul ass to the kingdom of science!" Yae didn't think Senku had it in him to run so fast, but she managed to keep up anyway.  
"I'm sorry, Ruri! I'll explain later!" Kohaku yelled over her shoulder at her sister.  
Now it was time to get back to work.

Later that day, Kaseki had made a certain kind of contraption.  
"Whats this?" Kohaku stared.  
"The force from the waterfall is making the bamboo spin around." Suika said surprised.  
Kaseki seemed proud of himself. "I nailed it on my first attempt. Pretty cool, huh? Are you charmed by my talents ladies?"  
Yae held back a laugh. Kaseki could be a show off of sure.  
"Impressive," Senku said. "I usually botch my first few attempts at anything."  
"But I wasn't trying to charm you." Kaseki said.  
This time Yae let out a small giggle. "Senku, your work is just fine. The best way to learn is by our mistakes. If we never screw up—if we always do everything perfectly—there's no room for improvement."  
Senku smirked. "Heh, thanks, Yae. I guess you're right."  
And then Asagiri Gen couldn't help but ask, "So then what does this allow us to make?"  
"Well, I'm not sure what's it for. Senku had me build it."  
Another grin spread across the young scientists face. "Don't worry. You're gonna find out tomorrow."  
"I think I'll keep an eye on it for a while." Kaseki turned his attention back to it. "I'd cry if my baby was destroyed by a piece of drift wood, or something."  
"All right, everyone!" Senku slammed his fist into her palm. "Let's head back to the laboratory. We've got more work ahead of us."  
Just as they were taking off, Kaseki stopped Asagiri from leaving, telling him he needed to help him stand guard. Asagiri Gen stared hopeless at his friends, begging for help with the look in his eyes.  
"Sorry, Asagiri!" Yae called back to him. "You'll be just fine."

Before reaching the laboratory, Yae stopped short.  
"What's the matter, Yae?" Senku asked.  
"Uh...my goat. I haven't checked on her yet today. I bet she's ready to be milked. You all go on ahead. I'll catch up with you later." She smiled and waved and took off in the opposite direction.

Checking on Furo wasn't the only thing on Yae's mind. She kept thinking about Ruri and the blood that came out of her mouth.  
"Hi there, Furo!" Yae walked up to the wooden cafe she and Kohaku has built for the goat. When she stepped inside she checked her pet all over to see if she was still in good condition. "Ah, no scratches. I appreciate you staying out of trouble." She smiled. Talking to her goat was the only thing holding her sanity in check.  
There was a memory as clear as day running through her mind. She knew the woman she was seeing was her mother, but there was no emotional attachment there. Was her mother a good person, or bad?

_A scream startled Yae. She was sitting in her old bedroom. Most of her surroundings were hazy, as the memory wasn't fully there. _  
_"YAE!" It was her mother. _  
_Yae remembered running toward the sound of her mother's screams, their tiny apartment a blur as she ran. As she rushed to the bathroom she saw blood gush out of her mother's mouth._  
_It stopped long enough for her mother to say, "Yae, call an ambulance. I think I'm dying!" Blood flew out of her mouth again, spraying Yae's whole front side. Yae stood there in shock for a few seconds as she stared down at her hands that were covered in blood. There was a ringing in her ears._  
_Was she screaming?_  
_"Mom...?" _

Yae wiped a few tears away. The memory was a freak show; a hell she didn't know how to escape from. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the painful, horrifying memory.  
"You're not ready to be milked yet." Yae sniffed as she stood from her crouched position and patted Furo's head.

By the time Yae arrived back to the laboratory, the kingdom of science was well on its way to creating the cure-all drug. Even Suika was helping out.  
Evening had arrived fast and they were almost done. They needed to work quickly in order to save Ruri. And as night finally fell Kohaku went back to the village with Suika. Yae stayed behind to help with the remaining steps.  
Perhaps it was the fact that everyone was so tired, but Senku had miscalculated the amount of formula and things went..._kaboom!_

A puff smoke filled the laboratory and Chrome and Senku rushed to open the flaps and let the smoke out. Yae flailed her arms as she did he best to _swish _all the smoke out.  
"That will have to do for now." She yawned. "It's getting so late." She leaned against the wall and slid to her bottom, yawning again.  
"Yae, you should head back to the village." Chrome said as he let out a monstrous yawn and flopped on his side. "I can barely keep my eyes open myself." And he slowly drifted off to sleep.  
Yae stared up at Senku as he continued to stand near the doorway. The last glimmer of sun shined on his face. He looked serious.  
Yae rubbed her eyes. "What are you thinking about, Senku?"  
Senku slowly turned. He heard her, her just didn't answer right away. Perhaps he was stalling to try and think of what to say. "I'm thinking about Ruri. I hope we're not too late. Everything is ready." He said the last bit to himself. He walked over to her and sat down next to her. "How are you holding up?" Now that prying ears and eyes were away, Senku could ask her more serious questions.  
"I'm..." She paused.  
"You're...?"  
Yae took a deep breath and slowly let it out. It was now or never. "I remembered my mom."  
Despite how tired he was, Senku opened his eyes a bit wider. "That's good."  
"But when I remembered her, I felt no emotional attachment to her. Maybe I just don't remember enough?"  
"Could be." He grabbed her hand that was resting on her lap and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You'll be just fine..." He struggled to keep his eyes open and then slumped his head on her shoulder, fast to sleep.  
Yae smiled, even though there was no one else to see her appreciation for Senku's simple yet caring words. And as she rested her head on top of Senku's, she too fell asleep.

Early that next morning as Senku was slowly waking up, his head was laying on something plump and soft. He opened his eyes a crack and realized that he was sleeping on top of Yae. Her legs spread apart, allowing Senku to lay straight without their legs getting tangled. And her arms laying above her head while Senku hugged her sides. He jolted his head up quickly, thinking he was about to get the shit kicked out of him by Yae, but she was still sleeping soundly. He sighed and woke the rest of the way up. Leaving his warm, comfortable position was a bother indeed, but alas, someone called his name from outside the laboratory.  
"Senku! Senku!" It was Asagiri Gen. When he popped his head inside he gasped. "What the hell happened?!"  
Senku stood. "We had a slight miscalculation." He laughed somewhat. "A mistake on my part."

Just as Yae and Chrome we're waking up, Asagiri Gen suddenly remembered what it was that he had come here for in the first place. "Oh, yeah, I meant to ask, but is this for..." he held an object in his hands pertaining to the contraption next to the water.  
Senku smirked. "Yeah, what else would it be for?"  
"I have no earthly idea."  
Yae stretched. "Oh, that? You mix it with sodium hydroxide to make baking soda."  
Senku's face lit up with joy. "That's right! We have all the good shit now!"  
The built-up excitement in Asagiri's face fell. "Ah, that right. Yes, baking soda. That's definitely what I was thinking."  
Just then Kohaku and the others came to join them. "You guys just waking up?"  
"We had rough night." Chrome said.  
Yae snickered. "You could say it was..._the bomb._"  
Kohaku gave a nervous laugh. "Oh boy...do I want to know?" Chrome shook his head at her.

Senku quickly gathered up the last of the materials and headed outside. "Alright you guys. Time for the final step." He put everything in a black pot. "Now we just add our baking soda. All we do now and sit back and wait."  
Chrome looked determined. "This is it. It took a long bad half year, but we're finally here."  
Senku lifted the glass bottle. "Its sulfanilamide. Or, you could say it's the fruits of our labor; the cure-all sulphate drug!"  
A wave of relieve flowed over Yae. She could only imagine how Kohaku was taking this all in. And she looked over at her friend, it was clear that a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Yae was happy for her, truly.  
"Hey, this is no time to be crying." Senku told her.  
Kohaku irked. "I-I'm not!" She said defensively.  
Asagiri Gen stepped forward and broke up the tender moment. "Unfortunately, I cant step inside the village, so I won't be able to watch Ruri take her medicine. You best hurry now."  
As Yae and the others gathered up the medicine, Senku walked a few paces behind with Suika. He called back at Asagiri. "Enjoy the solitude of waiting back at the lab."  
Suika felt bad for him. "Too bad he can't come. He helped us out so much."  
"Don't worry," Yae called over her shoulder. "I'm gonna take a wild guess and say he won't be disappointed with what's waiting for him back at the laboratory."  
"Huh?" Suika said and she looked up at Senku for an answer, but the young scientist just smirked and stayed silent.

The kingdom of science reached the village, Ruri was there waiting for them. Senku was the first to step forward and poured the medicine on to a leaf.  
"Don't worry, Ruri. This is the cure-all medicine. It'll get rid of your sickness."  
Ruri nodded and took a seat in front of Senku. She opened her mouth and let him pour the medicine in.  
After that Senku took out a glass cup and stood behind her. "Alright. I finally get to see my patient and make a diagnosis." He presses the cup to her back. "Say 'eee' loud and clear."  
Ruri was unsure what he was doing, she went along with it anyway and did as he has instructed her. "Eeeeeh."  
Senku stood, seeming unsatisfied with the results but never said anything. He put everything away and glanced over at a dead rat. He was careful about picking up and he placed it in a separate bag. "Let's head back for now. Until the medicine has time to work through her body, we won't be seeing an changes for now."

When they reached the laboratory, Asagiri Gen was still there and the empty bottle of Cola was sitting on the table. He thanked Senku for the treat but his thanks almost went unheard as Senku was so wrapped up in something else. He took the rat out of the bag and placed it on the table.  
"Uh, what are you doing with that rat?"  
"Maybe were eating it?" Kohaku suggested.  
Yae shuddered. "I wouldn't bet on it."  
Senku wrapped his head and face in cloth, leaving just enough room to see. "Rats are good for protein, but we're not here for a meal."  
Yae gasped. "You mean...an autopsy?"  
Senku gave her one nod and slowly slip the rats stomach open. When he was done examining the rats body, he carefully disposed of everything. "I've narrowed it down. It's a bacterial disease. Even our cure-all has its limits. And there's no guarantee that it will wipe out this specific bacteria."  
"Do you think it could be tuberculosis? Is that what you're trying to say?" Yae asked.  
Senku narrows his eyes. "If it is...we don't stand a chance in hell."  
The color in everyone's cheeks faded. This was serious news. And to hear it come out of Senku's mouth was even more terrifying. And just when things couldn't seem to get even worse, Suika came running up to them.  
"You guys have to come quick! It's Ruri! She's in bad shape! Hurry!" There were tears in her eyes.

Senku and team waisted no time and rushed to Ruri's hut. She was on her side and coughing worse than she ever had before.  
"You bastard! You did something to Ruri, didn't you?!" The former chief yelled. He grabbed Senku by the neck.  
"No, stop it!" Yae bolted to her feet and pulled on him. "Let Senku go!" She yelled.  
The former chief sneered at her. "Shut the hell up! You're in on this too, aren't you?!" He pushes her so hard she fell on her back with a loud thud.  
"Father, Stop it!" Kohaku told him.  
"If you haven't given Ruri that sorcery medicine, she wouldn't have taken such a turn for the worse!"  
Senku remained calm, no matter how bad the situation became. "Yeah, you might be right."  
"So you admit it?"  
"The bacteria is getting serious now. It's making allies by spreading toxic genes into all the harmless bacteria around it. It's the signature move of the pneumococcus bacteria, which means that Ruri's disease is...pneumonia."

Everyone quickly gathered around Ruri. Senku held out his hand for Yae to take it and helped her to her feet.  
"This is nothing to laugh at or take lightly." He said leaning over Ruri now. "It's got a kill count in the hundreds of millions. But sulphate drugs absolutely slaughter pneumococcus bacteria. And that's means we've won with the power of humanity's science! And now that we know what it is we've got the upper hand. All that's left is to pump her up with more sulphate drugs."  
"Enough!" Yelled the former chief. He was ready to hit Senku in order to shut him up but Kohaku stood between the two.  
"Father, this is nothing like the sorcery you know. It's science; human wisdom. I believe in it. And I trust and believe in Senku too."  
"That's right," Chrome spoke up. "So do I." Everyone else nodded in agreement.  
Yae walked up to Senku. "We're extremely lucky to have Senku here with us. You should be glad. I know I am."  
The tension in the room finally broke free and the fresh air finally returned. There was little time to celebrate though. Ruri still needed plenty of rest, and Senku needed to get back to her laboratory for more tests.  
Senku looked back at Yae before leaving. "Are you coming with?"  
As much as Yae wanted to follow him, she knew Kohaku needed her help to watch over Ruri. "No. I think my place is here for the evening. I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled and waved him goodbye.  
With Senku here now, hundreds of tomorrows were possible.

In the next following days, Ruri's condition improved greatly. At last she was able to move about freely and even leave the village, which is exactly what she did. Everyone stood in a meadow together, watching Ruri take her first step toward freedom and a long life. Tears were shed in the sheer moment of happiness. This was the benefit of having science on ones side!  
"I can't even remember how many years it's been since I've been able run outside the village!" Ruri said with delight. She took off like a bullet, surprising everyone.  
Kaseki nodded in approval. "I know that rambunctious run. It must run in the family after all."

The day was filled with hope and possibilities beyond imagination. With science, anything seemed possible. There was so much of it around them. How could they not prosper from it? And as they headed back to the village to tell everyone the good news, Kokuyo raised Senku's arm and declared him the new chief of Ishigami village.  
This struck a cord in Senku. Why was the village named after him.  
It was then that Ruri walked up to him and said, "That's right, Senku. I've known about you for a long time. Since I was a child. Your full name is...Ishigami Senku."  
_Ishigami...Ishigami Senku...Ishigami. _  
Of course. How could Yae forget? After all, his name was always on the school board, just like hers.  
Yae started to freak out yet she remained calm on the outside. She could see images inside her head of how the world looked before. She saw her classmates, teachers, the school grounds. It really was coming back to her. She then noticed Senku walk off on his own. Perhaps to get away from the noise of the village and clear his mind. The look on his face was something Yae wasn't used to. She left him be for a while, but after an hour of waiting and no sign of him, Yae left the village to go look for him.

Senku wasn't in the laboratory, and nor was he in Chrome's but. It would appear that the young scientist disappeared.  
_C'mon, Yae. Think OUTSIDE the box. _She told herself. She walked into the village for a minute or two and suddenly stopped. Senku was leaning against a tree. His head was down and his arms were crossed. He was obviously deep in thought. Yae thought best to turn around and leave, and when she did, Senku spoke.  
"Well, are you going to ask me?"  
"Uh..." Yae slowly turned to face him. "Ask you what?"  
"Why it is that I'm out here and not with everyone else? It's a time to celebrate, wouldn't you agree?"  
Yae chose her next words very carefully. "There's only one way the village could possibly be named after you...Perhaps you're not so alone after all?" She walked up to him.  
Senku stopped leaning against the tree and stood up straight and tall. "I'm not alone!" When he said this he immediately regretted it. He didn't mean to snap at her. "Ah, shit. I'm sorry."  
"It's fine...it's...whatever." She mumbled, resting her hands behind her back and looking down at her feet.  
The sun shining through the cracks of the branches and leaves cast playful shadows all over Yae. It made her look mysterious yet humble.

Senku moved without thinking. He grabbed her arm and pressed her up against the tree.  
Yae stared up at him, confused and startled. "Umm..."  
Senku continued to stare at her; the flickering dim light from the sun made her eyes gleam and her usually dark brown eyes brightened to a soft amber color.  
_Just fucking do it. _Senku argued with himself. _What the hell are you waiting for? Coward! You can face the Emerald lake, but not a girl—an old classmate?! _  
Senku leaned in and closed his eyes, pressing his lips against hers. She was warm and tender to the touch. She tasted sweet, leaving his mouth feeling tingly all over.

When he finally broke the kiss, and very thin line of saliva was proof of his vigor. And when he opened his eyes Yae was staring straight Up at him, her expression stupefied.  
Senku raised one brow and lowered the other. "Was it bad?"  
"Why did you kiss me?"  
"I...thought the occasion called for it."  
Yae took in a breath and let out a noise that sounded like a frustrated cry. "Hnnnng!" She shut her eyes and her face went red. "Pervert!" She kneed him in the groin and took off running toward the village.  
Senku slumped to his knees in severe pain. "Ugh...okay. Bad move on my part... but what the hell? You didn't have to kick me!"  
Yae didn't say anything though. She kept running and never looked back. She was embarrassed that Senku kissed her. It was what she had secretly been wanting for the last couple months, so why was she running away from the thing she wanted most? She stopped herself short at the edge of the forest to catch her breath. Her face was still hot and her heart was thumping so loudly she could hear it. At last she touched her lips, smiling a little. This was by far the best day of her life.

** I hope everyone had a great Halloween.**  
**Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Also, part of the reason why I write Senku out of character at times is to help move the story and his relationship with Yae faster along. Trust me, I want to get to the goodies too!**


	12. Chapter twelve

Senku took a moment to recollect himself. Now that he had some time to think, he needed to return to the village and speak with Ruri. However, there was now another issue at hand involving Yae. _Why did I kiss her? _Not even he had the answer to that. _She's cute and nice, yeah, but what the hell. Now she probably thinks I'm some massive pervert. _Senku groaned, standing on his feet again. _Just great. Way to go, Senku. _

On his return, everyone was still celebrating. They had barely noticed that he'd left. Unfortunately, Kohaku was waiting for him near Ruri's hut, and Yae was walking passed her quickly and up the steps. No matter how much Senku tried to avoid Kohaku's faze, he could feel her giving him the stink-eye. Did Yae tell Kohaku? No, she wouldn't have, but she definitely knew something was up.

The young lioness followed her spiky-haired friend up the steps and into the hut where they would finally get some things sorted out.  
Senku gave Ruri a good long look. "Thanks," he told her, "everything finally makes sense now. If everyone was petrified, then who was the first to make this village? You and Kohaku clearly have foreign blood in you. All the mysteries are solved."  
Yae cocked her head to the side. Just what was he getting at?  
And the Kohaku said, "No, sorry. None of that makes sense to me."  
"Yeah, and how does Senku have the same name as the village?" Chrome pointed out.  
"Perhaps a defendant of Senku's was around to help form this village," Yae spoke up. "It's the only logical explanation."  
Senku snickered. "I probably come up in your priestess mythology, don't I?" He looked over at Ruri.  
"Yes," Ruri said simply.  
"Mythology?" said Chrome. "Like Momotaro With the gorilla and all that?"  
Senku grinned. "No wonder you people know about folktales, and giant animals you've never seen before."  
"Yeah," said Kohaku. "Ruri taught us about all kinds of things. The stories the Priestess uses passes them down to the next generation...The Hundred Tales."  
Ruri closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "Yes, the one hundredth tale title is...Ishigami Senku."  
Everyone was silent as they waited for Ruri to share with them the knowledge of the Hundred Tales.

By the time Ruri had finished, night had fallen. The Hundred Tales was amazing, yet it was sad at the same time. To think that knowledge had been passed down for the last 3700 was exhilarating.  
"It's such a weird story that I have no idea what it means." Suika finally said.  
"Yeah," said Chrome. "Humanity turned to stone thousands of years ago. Those statues we see all over the place are real people."  
Hearing those words made those statues that more real to Yae. Underneath that hard surface was a real, living person. She thought back to the crying woman, and her chest tightened somewhat. Like Senku, she wanted to bring everyone back too.  
Chrome's voice pulled Yae out of her thoughts. "Six people, including Senku's dad, survived because they were above the sky. That means, everyone in the village is a descendant of theirs, thousands of years later."  
This brought hope to Yae. Perhaps she wasn't as alone as she thought. Maybe she had family here too, or maybe even somewhere else.  
"Does that mean we're all related to Senku?" Kohaku's face flushed with shock.  
Senku raised a brow and then gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Byakuya and I aren't related by blood. Only legally. And besides, we're hundreds of generations apart, so you can't really call us relatives."  
"In other words..." Yae let the answer hang in the air. But before Senku to say more, the party outside called to them to come join. Even though the sun had set a while ago, the villagers were still as lively as ever. Apparently, having a new village chief was a huge thing.  
A sweet smile appeared on Ruri's face as she looked at everyone. "Shall we go join the feast?" Now that sounded like a great idea.

The smell of smoke and food wafted through the air, and occasionally the stench of alcohol on someone's breath passed by. There were music and dancing, and even Magma and his group followers had seemed to let things go, at least for the time being. This was no time to be starting fights. Everyone just wanted to have a good time and enjoy themselves.  
"It hasn't been this lively in a while." Kohaku smiled gently. She glanced over at Yae who was dancing with Suika and her smile grew.  
"Everyone is having so much fun!" Genro was excited to join in on the dancing, but Kinro pulled his by the back of the shirt.  
"Hey, we have to guard the bridge."  
"No fair!" Geno was dragged away flailing his arms as he tried to escape his brother's grasp, but it was no use. The rules were the rules. However, with everyone having a grand time and getting drunk, there was one person in particular who had yet to join the fun.  
"No way, I'm an outsider!" Asagiri Gen yelled as some of the villagers dragged him across the bridge.  
"Who gives a damn? Come drink with us!" They demanded.  
Yae had stopped dancing with Suika to take a rest and giggled as Asagiri Gen was forced to join. She had to admit that seeing him inside the village and conversing with others was a positive sight to her. At that moment, she sensed someone looking at her and looked over her shoulder. Senku's gaze was on her, and even when they locked eyes he didn't bother looking away. They stared at one another for a moment until Ruri walked up to Senku and whispered in his ear. Senku gave her a nod, and soon they walked away from the village, across the bridge and into the woods. Whatever it was that Ruri had to tell him must have been too important to let prying ears overhear.

A few minutes passed, and Ruri and Senku had not returned. The life of the party, however, was far from over it seemed like. Yae held a drink in her hand and took a sip. Her face went sour at the bitter taste of alcohol swimming in her mouth. It was her first time having a drink, and she wasn't sure she could ever get used to it. She stared down the ripples forming in her cup as the voice of an older woman echoed in her head.  
_Stop, Yae!_  
_No! You need to understand why drinking is so dangerous for you! _She heard her own voice.  
_I need it!_  
_Like hell you do! What about me? I don't want you to die!_  
_I'm sorry, sweetie. _  
_Stop it! Why couldn't you have just told me? I needed a mother, not a friend! _

Yae suddenly didn't feel like drinking anymore and handed her drink off to someone nearby.  
"Yae!" Asagiri yelled her name. He was waving at her, trying desperately to get her attention. It looked like he wanted to be saved from the clutches of the villagers.  
Yae did her best to come to his rescue, but the villagers were persistent in making him stay.  
"Yae, I need you to find Senku for me. There is something very important I need to tell him." Asagiri Gen told her.  
"I'm pretty sure he's with Ruri right now. They're probably talking about something really serious. Are you sure it can't wait?"  
The pleading look in the mentalist's eyes told Yae otherwise. "Just...go do it, please."  
Yae thought for a second. She didn't like the idea of pestering Senku, but Asagiri Gen seemed to have something serious to tell him, too. "Okay, I'll do it." And she headed off in the direction she'd last seen Senku and Ruri go.

Kohaku had taught Yae how to follow tracks, thankfully for her, Senku and Ruri's footprints seemed to have headed in one simple direction, so finding their location was easy enough. As she was close, Yae spotted Ruri making her way back alone.  
A little concerned, Yae asked, "Where is Senku."  
She pointed. "Just up ahead. I think he wants to be alone." She paused. "But maybe a closer friend is what he needs right now. Will you go see if he's alright?"  
Yae nodded. "Of course."  
Ruri smiled. "I'll see you two back at the village." And she waved before walking away.

As Yae made her way up the hill where gave stones sat, she heard Senku muttering to himself.  
"Is everything okay, Senku?" Yae asked as she reached the top.  
Senku looked back at her, a bit surprised. He wasn't expecting to see her. "Yae?"  
"Ruri said you might need a friend."  
"You followed us?"  
"Uh..." Yae looked off to the side. "Not exactly."  
Senku laughed. "Whatever, I don't care."  
Yae looked up at him, nervous. She came here on a mission for Asagiri Gen. "The mentalist has something to tell you. He sent me to come look for you."  
"Ah," said Senku. "I bet it's about Tsukasa." He started making his way down.  
Yae followed after but slipped and slid a few inches down the rocky hill.  
"Here, let me help." Senku offered his hand.  
"Oh, okay." Yae reached up and was surprised by Senku's strength to pull her up so easily. "Thanks." She said. When she tried to pull away, Senku kept his grip on her. It would appear that the young scientist wasn't going to let her fall again, so helping her down the rest of the way was the only option she had.

As he turned his back, Yae smiled. Even if this simple gesture of kindness didn't mean anything to him, it did her.  
"Are you still mad at me?" Senku asked as they reached the bottom.  
"What do you mean?" asked Yae. She noticed they were still holding hands even after making it down the hill.  
Senku stopped abruptly, causing Yae to bump into him. "About kissing you..."  
Yae's face flushed pink. "Uh...No. Not anymore."  
"Good. Then we can leave behind the awkwardness between us."  
Yae nodded. "Sure..."  
"You don't sound sure." Senku let his grip go, his back still facing her.  
When Senku didn't carry on, Yae stumbled around with words inside her head. "W-we'll always be friends, Senku! No matter what." She felt dumb for saying that. It was so cheesy.  
Senku chuckled. "No matter what, huh? That sounds nice."

It was silent between the two of them for a long moment.  
The moonlight shined down on them, making them seem like the center of attention while the rest of the world was shrouded in darkness. Yae stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Senku and rested her head on his back.  
"You've never been alone after all, I see that now. Byakuya left you with an amazing gift, the gift of family."  
Senku heaved a heavy sigh. He hated these kinds of touchy-feel moments. He wanted to pull himself free some Yae, but at the same time, her generous hug made things feel all right. He felt her pick her head from his back, and seconds later, her soft lips leaned in and kissed his cheek.  
Senku ripped himself free from Yae and turned to face her. He looked at her shocked.  
"Oh, shit..." She took a step, head down. "I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot. Go ahead and say I am. I don't care." She held her arms firmly at her side, hands balled into a fist, and eyes squeezed shut. "Who am I kidding?" She went on. "I'm a nobody. Why would someone like you ever have feelings for someone like me?" On she went, putting herself down while she raised that high and mighty ladder Senku was standing on.  
"Shut up." He suddenly said.  
Yae forced herself to look up at him, shocked. "What?" She blinked a few times, tears resting at the corners of her eyes.  
"You shouldn't talk about yourself so negatively. You're like me. Don't forget that." He closed the gap between them, reached out and pulled her in by the waist. He pressed her against him, his body heat swallowing her up as he planted a kiss on her lips. This time Yae didn't pull away. She let him do whatever he wanted—move his hands wherever he wanted.  
With her plump breasts pressed against his chest, Senku thought back to when he first felt them in the river when looking for sand, and then the time he saved her from Mantel peeping at her. The image of her naked body excited by ten billion percent.

Yae moaned against Senku's mouth. And when she did it again but louder, Senku realized what it was that she was making so much noise over. His hand was gripping her ass tightly, giving her a good squeeze. He loosened his grip but firmly kept his hand where it was and deepened the kiss. This only his second attempt at kissing, so he wondered if he was doing it correctly. Yae didn't seem to mind, though, so he kept going. He licked her bottom lip, hoping to experiment further with her. Just as he hoped, Yae opened her mouth enough for Senku to slip his tongue inside. Shivers ran down his spine as he listened to Yae's innocent moan grow louder. He explored the inside of her, playing with her tongue as they fought over dominance.

Senku could feel the blood from his head rushing to his penis and he pulled away before the tension could escalate. He never knew how much effort and energy it took when making out. He didn't mind though.  
The bridge of saliva finally broke and fell from their lips and to their feet. The results were satisfying.  
"Was that too much?" Senku asked. Yae shook her head. "Good." He reached for her braid and trailed his finger down to the white cloth tied in a ribbon. He put it to his mouth and pulled the ribbon loose with his teeth. "I'm going to borrow this. I hope you don't mind."  
Yae was awestruck. She didn't think Senku had it in him to pull a stunt like that. "I-I don't mind."  
He smirked. "Good." And he stuffed it inside one of his pockets. "Now, you said something about Asagiri Gen?"  
Yae nodded, remembering why she had walked out here in the first place. "He said it was very important. We should hurry. I don't think we should waste any more time."  
Senku smirked. "I don't think it was a waste of time, do you?"  
Yae blushed. "Uh, no, of course not!" She smiled shyly. "What do we tell the others?"  
Senku answered her right away as if he had been thinking about that long before this night. "You can tell them whatever you want. I don't think we need to announce ourselves to anyone. I'm sure others already suspect."  
"Like Kohaku?"  
Senku raised a brow. "Yeah, Like Kohaku. How did you know?"  
Yae shrugged. "Kohaku is really good at reading people. I think she knew even before I did." She took Senku's hands. "Come on, let's head back."

When they reached the village, Yae and Senku were still holding hands and not caring who might have seen, Asagiri Gen could be heard talking to some of the villagers about how if he got drunk he wouldn't be able to talk business.  
"Now that the village is one place, I have a message to deliver."  
"Yeah, let's hear it, mentalist," Senku said. Everyone's attention was now focused on them. "What's happened in the Tsukasa Empire?"  
A menacing grin spread across Asagiri's Gen's face as he looked up at the young scientist. "They're coming! Tsukasa and his army."  
Everyone looked worried by the news, but on the other hand, Senku seemed excited about it. "It's finally time to show them the power of the kingdom of science. This is exhilarating."


	13. Chapter thirteen

It took a moment, but at first, Yae thought Asagiri Gen was joking. And when he did not falter in his words, the reality of the situation became real to her. She let go of Senku's hand and clutched the sides of her dress, scared. She didn't want to fight this Tsukasa's Empire. Not only was she against violence, but she wasn't a fighter. Even though Kohaku was a great teacher and Yae had come a long way in terms of defending herself—actually hurting someone was something she didn't want to do.  
The sound of Kohaku's voice lifted Yae from her thoughts. "You're saying these men in the Tsukasa Empire are as ridiculously strong as him? And their coming here?!"  
Asagiri shrugged. "Yeah, probably. Not only that, but he's been reviving a shit ton of people. But he's not all you have to worry about. Hyoga is also a part of Tsukasa's empire. You don't want to be against him in a fight, and if you are you better run. I told all of them I'd be a spy, so I left first. But I could only buy us so much time."  
No matter how serious this was, Senku couldn't help but chuckle, leaving everyone to wonder what was so funny.  
"We've come to an all-out war between the kingdom of science and the kingdom of might. This is so exhilarating."

After a moment of silence, some of the villagers started up their conversations again, doing their best to keep the lively party going.  
Meanwhile, Senku and Yae sat down to join the others.  
"Yae," started Kohaku. "I want to train you more with offense. Your defense is good, but if it comes down to it, you'll have to fight for your life."  
Yae gulped. "I think that's a good idea. Thank you Kohaku."  
"Do you still have the dagger I gave you?" She eyed her friend up and down but didn't find it anywhere.  
"I didn't think I'd need it while celebrating."  
The lioness sighed. "Yae, you should carry that with you no matter what. Even when you're sleeping."  
Yae nodded, feeling embarrassed for not doing something so simple. She was living in the Stone Age now. Carry a weapon at all times was considered normal. "Okay, I'll do that from now on."  
Asagiri scooted over closer, his shifty eyes looking to stir up some good trouble. "So, you two came back together, I see." He nudged Senku in the arm.  
"Yeah, so?" Senku pushed the mentalist off of him.  
Asagiri pretended to pout. "You two were holding hands though. What's up with that?"  
Yae stiffened. She wasn't prepared for this conversation.  
Suika piped up. "Kohaku and I hold hands all the time."  
Kohaku smiled and chuckled a little bit. "I believe this is different, Suika."  
"Oh..."  
Kohaku leaned forward and pointed her dagger at Senku. "Don't try anything stupid."  
Senku raised a brow, the lionesses threat was clear. "Oh, yes. You know my true intentions." He said sarcastically and then scoffed. "I believe there are other things we should all be worrying about."  
Asagiri Gen grinned and said, "Yeah, and besides that, releasing your urges help you. Having all that built up tension isn't good."  
"What is he talking about?" Suika asked.  
Kohaku placed her hands over the little one's ears. "You watch what you say, Asagiri Gen!"  
"Heh, whatever." Senku brought his hands up to the fire to warm them, thinking. _Having sex with Yae is something I' haven't fully thought through. I should have known sexual tension is something that naturally comes, especially for someone of my age. It's normal to feel this way, and one of the best ways to take care of that is masturbation—which I haven't done since Taiju woke up. That big oaf never left me alone long enough._

Senku's thoughts were interrupted when Ginro came running back, yelling for help.  
"Everyone! I've got bad news! The enemy is here!"  
Without another second to lose, Senku and team rushed to the bridge where Kinro was holding the enemy at bay.  
"This is bad," said Asagiri. "He's fighting Hyoga!"  
Before they could reach the bridge to help Kinro, Hyoga managed to slip an attack and injure Kinro in the gut. He was knocked so hard he flew off the bridge, taking hold of Hyoga's leg at the last second.  
"Kinro!" Kohaku yelled and ran, her dagger raised.  
"Stop, Kohaku!" Her father held her back.  
"Now!" Kinro yelled. "Cut down the bridge! Ginro!"  
Kohaku continued to struggle against her father's grasp. "Let me go! I have to help him!"  
"Fool!" Said her father. "You don't stand a chance against a spear on a bridge!"  
Yae looked back and forth as everyone yelled at each other, trying to figure out the best solution. There was none. Now more than ever, Yae wished she had her dagger on her, at least that way she would feel somewhat safer.

Everyone urged Ginro to cut the bridge down. It was the only way to keep the children and everyone else safe. But the look on Ginro's face suggested otherwise. He was still fighting with himself on finding a better solution.  
"They're right, I have to do it." Ginro told himself as he placed his spear on the rope.  
"Ginro..." Yae felt so bad for him.  
"I have to cut the bridge down to save the village." And then he stopped. Hearing his brother say that he could no longer be saved struck a cord. Tears began falling down his pale cheeks and he lowered his spear. "I can't do it. How can I just let my brother die?"  
Senku could stand it no longer as he grabbed the iron tube Kaseki was holding.  
"What are you doing?"  
Senku took dirt and gunpowder from his pouch and packed it inside the iron pipe. "Who'd thought we'd be using the last of the gunpowder for a bluff?"  
A small gasp slipped from Yae's lips. "Senku..."

While Senku prepared his bluff, Asagiri Gen ran off to find more help. All the while, Senku stood at the ready, the iron pipe near the fire and ready to be lit.  
When Asagiri returned, Senku wasted little time and lit the wick, aiming it at the enemy.  
"Now, Magma!" Asagiri yelled. From behind, Magma threw a rock as hard as he could and at that exact moment, the lighted wick reached the gunpowder, exploding into nothing. It was enough to scare Hyoga and his pawns though.  
"Hyoga, you have to retreat!" Asagiri fought with Senku over the iron pipe. "This village has guns!" He started running across the bridge, giving up on the fight altogether.  
It would appear Senku's bluff worked.  
"So," said Hyoga. "You must be Senku Ishigami."  
Senku grinned, enjoying the attention. "You idiots are too late. We've already finished building our kingdom of science."  
Hyoga's expression was hidden behind his mask when he said, "Oh? I'm sure Tsukasa will be very pleased."  
"Heh, yeah. You can tell that bastard that I'm still alive. And tell him we've built about ten billion rifles with the power of science."

After the enemy had fled, Kohaku and Yae ran to help Kinro.  
"Oh no, Kinro's dead!" Ginro wailed.  
Kinro groaned, clearly still in pain. "I'm not dead. Don't go killing me off, Ginro."  
Yae put a hand to her chest and sighed. "I'm so glad. You're going to be okay, Kinro."  
Senku was the last to follow up with them and stuck a glass tube in Kinro's mouth. "Antipyretic analgesic acetanilide. We made this while making the sulfa drug." He explained. "And take this!" He threw some medicinal powder on Kinro's wound. "Rub that on your wound and you'll be good as new by tomorrow."  
"Tomorrow?" Kohaku said in disbelief. "You're just pulling that out of your ass!"  
When Senku was done he placed everything carefully back inside his pouches. "Kohaku, Ginro, help Kinro back to his bed. He needs to rest."  
"Clearly." Said Chrome. "I'll help too."  
Together the three of them carried Kinro away.  
"You better get some rest too." Senku looked over at Yae. "Tonight might be our last chance to get a decent nights sleep."  
"Ah...yeah, you're right." She then pointed a finger at him. "You better get some sleep too. No staying up late and exhausting yourself to make some kind of master-plan. We'll figure that out together."  
Senku chuckled. "Okay, okay. Jeez. I'll see you in the morning."  
Yae nodded, smiling. "Good." She ran off seeking out her bed and discovering that she was more tired than she thought.

Just as Senku was about to make his way back to Chrome's hut, the former chief stopped him.  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
"Uh...to bed." He answered.  
Kokuyo chuckle. "Not in that dirty hut you've been sleeping in. Come, follow me. The new chief deserves the best bed in the village."  
Senku was mildly surprised by this as he walked beside Kokuyo. When they came to a stop, they were standing in front of the biggest hut in the village.  
"This is your home now." Kokuyo told him and patted his shoulder. "You won't be disappointed." He walked off, leaving Senku to soak in the moment on his own.

When he stepped inside, Senku was beside himself in awe. The hut was spacious yet there were plenty of things set up for his average needs. What he liked the most of was the bed. It was big enough for three people and covered in fur. Being chief definitely had its perks. He flopped down, face first into his feather filled pillow. He could get used to this.

That following morning as Senku slowly rose from his undisturbed slumber and feeling rejuvenated, he rolled over on to his back and stretched. A tingling sensation rushed from his belly to his toes as he soon discovered some morning wood had uninvitedly graced his presence. He was surprised at first. He hadn't woken up this way in months, and was glad he was alone in his hut, otherwise this could have turned out much differently if he were sleeping in Chrome's hut.

No matter how badly Senku tried to shake his dirty thoughts from his mind, they refused go away. The only release he sought was acting on them. He stuffed his hands inside his pockets, trying to fight the sensation, but something in his right pocket caused him to lose all hope in keeping it in his pants.  
He took Yae's ribbon and brought it to his nose, taking in a the scent that was left behind from her hair. Shivers ran down Senku's spine as he closed his eyes, lifting the skirts of his clothes and pulling out his penis, stroking his shaft. He imagined Yae naked in the pond, her soft skin and plump breasts. His manhood grew in size at the mere thought of what it would be like—feel like, to be inside her. The thought of his dick rubbing against walls of her vagina excited him by ten billion percent!

Not much later Yae woke, feeling not as well rested as she had hoped. She had tossed and turned through most of the night, waking a few times. She was scared Tsukasa's empire would come for them in the middle of the night; kill all the men and rape all the women. She couldn't help but feel as though she had every right to be scared and have these thoughts. She had no idea what this Empire of Might was capable of.

Yae rose from her comfy bed, scratching her head and yawning. She went through her normal morning routine and washed her face and rinsed the bad bad breath from her mouth. Next, she carefully combed out the knots in her hair before braiding. Her routine was so automatic that she was half way with doing her hair when she remembered that Senku still had her ribbon. She groaned, standing up and walking outside.  
"Where are you going Yae?" Suika asked as she saw her walking by.  
"Senku has something of mine." She made her way over to the bridge.  
"Oh, no one is allowed to leave the main village by themselves." Suika informed her. "I heard this morning that Senku got a hut of his own." She pointed in the direction of where he was now residing. "I think he's still sleeping."  
Yae quickly changed the direction in which she was going and swiftly marched toward Senku's hut. She opened the door half expecting to find him still sleeping or cooking up some kind of formula.  
No.  
The new chief of the Ishigami village had just reached his climax while masturbating. He was unable to stop himself from coming; a look of pure ecstasy and shock stuck on his face as he locked eyes with Yae, cum shooting up over his head and hitting the wall behind. He moaned as the pleasure he felt was undeniably good.  
"AAAAAIIIIIEEEEEE!" Yae screamed, slamming the door shut and took off running. She tripped over her own feet, ignoring whatever pain she might have felt. It was nothing compared to the embarrassment she felt of walking in on Senku. Ignoring those who stopped to look her way, Yae picked herself up and decided to go look for Kohaku and see what she was up to. Besides that, she wanted to know how Kinro was doing.

With one long exasperated sigh, Senku cleaned up. He had made a fool of himself, but damn did it feel good. Now he would have to explain to Yae that what she saw was nothing to worry or be embarrassed about. And then he thought, _has she thought me in that way? _  
That wasn't exactly important though. Tsukasa was coming and they needed to prepare.

Near Chrome's hut, Ginro and Kinro stood waiting, and of course Chrome was there as well. Senku made his way up to take another look at the supplies to see if they could use anything.  
"Be careful, Kinro." Senku heard Kohaku's voice outside the hut.  
"Are you sure you're well enough yet?" Yae chimed in.  
"Don't push yourself, okay?" Suika's sweet little voice said.  
"I'll be fine. See, I'm much better." He told them as he started making his way up the ladder. "Ack!" The wound on his stomach opened up.  
"Holy crap!" Chrome yelled.  
Kohaku sighed. "He's just acting tough. No way is he feeling better."  
"I'm the guard! I can't be sleeping forever. There's no telling when those bastards will be back in full force."  
"Not necessarily. We can predict when they might be back." Senku said.  
Yae stiffened. She wasn't prepared to face Senku after early this morning.  
"How do you know?" asked Chrome.  
"They'll be waiting around for a storm because they're afraid of guns we don't even have. Gen will talk them into it." Once Senku has found what he needed, he headed back down the ladder to meet his friends. "Here," he handed Kinro a pair of glasses very similar to those of Yae's.  
"Oh damn! You look so bad ass!" Chrome praised.  
"It's a good look on you, Kinro." Yae complemented.  
Everyone standing by was impressed with Senku's work of science yet again.  
"Alright, you guys. That's not all the scientific prep we're doing." He carried more supplies over to the ovens.  
"The man in the black mask is quite formidable." Kohaku said. "Do you have some way to use science to fight him?"  
"Heh, yeah. You and the battle team are going to be in tears when you see it. Time to show off your skills, Kaseki." He leaned in and whispered in the old man's ear.  
"Say what? That sounds amazing!" He became so excited that he ripped his clothes off. All the ladies we less than empresses and shielded their eyes. This time around Yae was able to save herself from the view of an older man's genitals.  
"Let's hurry up and get started, everyone." Senku ordered. They only had a few days to prep, so they needed to work fast. "We can't waste anymore time. We're racing against a storm."

The whole village worked together. Their main objective was the Katana. Senku explained to them that this weapon would be the strongest thing to use against the enemy—the most powerful weapon in the stone world! The blades of science.  
"Yae!" Kohaku ran up to her. "When the time comes, I need you to stand guard by Senku on the bridge."  
Yae looked at her, surprised. "Kohaku, I'm not much of a bodyguard."  
"That's okay. I just need you there in case we can't hold the line. If anything should happen to us up front, we'll need you to cut the bridge."  
Yae gulped. "I understand..."

As the days passed with hard work, it would seem their efforts were finally paying off. But as the sky darkened, the wind picking up, it was proof of a storm.  
"Are you ready?" Senku asked Yae as she came to meet him on the bridge. He had with him explosives. He eyed her newly equipped Katana hanging on her side. "Is it heavy?"  
Yae shook her head. "N-no."  
It was silent between the two for a moment. "Listen," started Senku. "What you saw the other day—"  
"Doesn't matter." Yae told him quickly.  
"Huh?" Senku raised a brow.  
Yae kept her attention on the other side of he bridge, too nervous to look Senku in the face. "I'm...I'm not so innocent myself. I mean, I've never...I'm still a..."  
Senku started laughing. "It's okay. I think I understand what you're saying."  
"Hey, stop laughing. It's not funny."  
Senku shook his head. "Yeah, it kind of is."

Before Yae could protest any further, the enemy finally made themselves known. The biggest, ugliest brute came after them first.  
Even though Yae was there to protect Senku, it was he that threw himself in front of her, swiping one of the bombs from his pouches. A gust of wind came by so fast, though, that it blew the wick out, stopping Senku from making his attack. But just as Kohaku and the others had planned, they rushed in, blocking the enemies attack.  
"We're in trouble." Said one of the brutes. "Their weapons are far stronger than ours."  
"And all of our weapons are broken now too!" Another cried.  
It would seem victory was within their grasp.  
"It's not just your weapons. Your minds are broken too." Said Hyoga stepping forward. "I'm sure that's what Senku is trying to accomplish by showing off his Japanese Katanas." He swung his spear out in front of him, spinning the tip in a circular motion. "But your Katanas are no match for my kudayari and my kanryu-style spearmanship." He quickly disarmed Magma and went after Kohaku next.  
Yae stepped forward, ready to defend her friends.  
"No, Yae!" Kohaku yelled. "Stay back!"  
"Oh?" Hyoga seemed very interested now. "So you're Yae. Gen said you were nowhere to be found. Tsukasa will be pleased to hear that you're so close."  
"What?" Yae didn't understand. "I don't know who Tsukasa is, so shut up!"  
Hyoga chuckled. "Funny...he knows who you are." He glared.

To break up the "touching" conversation, Asagiri Gen said to Hyoga, "Magma, Kohaku and Kinro are the strongest in the village. Take them down and you win."  
"Thanks for the intel, Gen, not that I really needed it."  
"What the hell?" Said Magma. "You traitor!"  
"That bastard!" Yelled Kohaku.  
"No. He's trying to tell us that we all need to take him down at once." Kinro quickly informed them.  
"Then let's do it, Kinro, Magma!" But Magma was one step ahead and went after Hyoga on his own. "He's not even listening!"

It was now or never. Kohaku and Kinro would have to work together, and quickly.  
Kohaku went first, jumping into the air and landing on Kinro's katana as he thrust it out in front of him. Kohaku pushed off the blade with all her might, going over Magma's head and making her attack.  
If not for Hyoga's swift reaction, Kohaku would have landed a hit on him, but he turned his attention to her, spinning his spear in that same circular motion.  
"No, Kohaku!" Yae yelled.

A snap and then a crack set Hyoga off guard. The tip of his spear broke off, ending whatever conflict might have happened. Everyone was shocked and stood there open mouthed.  
"A cut too precise to have been made with stone tools, and too well hidden to see." Hyoga said it more to himself than anyone else. "With enough force it tears apart. It's almost like magic, isn't it?"  
"Seriously?" Said Asagiri Gen. "Who would have done such a thing?"  
"Gen," said Hyoga. "I like you. You're very proper...as a dirty betrayer."  
"What are you talking about, Hyoga?" Asagiri did his best to play the innocent one. "Why do you think I would do such a thing?" His act wasn't going in his favor though. It was clear to see. Asagiri Gen stopped his foolish act and became his old self again. "Well shit...You had me figured out so quickly. Well done, Hyoga!"  
Yae eased a bit. So Asagiri really was on their side. It was all making sense to her now. The days before, Senku had given Suika an important job. She was tasked with delivering a certain item to Asagiri. Turns out that mission was fulfilled.

Asagiri ran to the other side, meeting up with the rest of the kingdom of science. Behind him a trail of petals lingered.  
"Do you know this flower?" He said this to Hyoga. "It's not supposed to bloom in the shade, so it's perfect to use as a secret signal. It's called Black Nightshade. I used it on the stage a lot. It's one of my favorites. In floriography, it means liar."  
Senku held up a sliver of a blade. "You're one hell of a swordsman, mentalist. It cuts exhilaratingly well, doesn't it? That's the blade of science for you!"

For the time being, it appeared to be a victory for the kingdom of science. There was no way for them to back out of this fight. And now that Hyoga had knowledge of Yae, there was no telling what Tsukasa would do to anyone in order to get his hands her. He knew who she was—he was someone from her past. It bothered Senku to know this.  
_What the hell kind of connection do they have? _Whatever he was feeling, he had to push those feelings aside. The enemy was at their doorstep and there was no time to be asking questions.

**Author's note: Sorry I'm late. I've been dealing with a headache all day. I've also been working on an original story of mine. I have two chapters of it left and then I can start revising it and working on getting it published. **  
**If you like my style of writing, I have an original story on wattpad. It's called 'Secret of Epping Forest'. The prologue and first chapter are available to read. The rest of the book you can purchase through amazon (that one is published). **  
**I may have mistakes in my fanfic stories, but they are just for fun. With my original work, I really try my best to make sure the writing is perfect. **  
**Anyway! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I appreciate all of the support you guys have given me. Truly. **


	14. Chapter fourteen

With the still moments that followed, everyone was able to catch their breaths.  
"We did it!" Cheered Ginro.  
"Your teamwork is remarkable, I'll give you that." Said Hyoga. "And dirty betrayal." He turned his attention on Senku. "And the scientific knowledge to create guns and katanas. You really seem to know the proper way of doing things."  
Senku didn't seem the least bit interested in what he had to say.  
"Are you done yet? Flattery will get you nowhere." Said Yae.  
Senku held up a hand as a warning to Yae to stay silent.  
Hyoga continued. "It would have been more proper if you had realized that all of this was a distraction."  
Everyone started to sniff the air, a thick odor of smoke wafted through the air. They all turned in surprise, mouths dropping.  
"I see. So that's what you were after." Senku said.  
"We have to do something and fast!" Yae pulled on his sleeve.  
"No!" Senku held her back. "Look!"  
A girl dressed in pink was making her way over. She was holding a torch and clearly the one responsible for setting the village on fire.  
"Another one?" Said Kokuyo.  
Hyoga smiled with his eyes. "Say hello to my right hand, Homura. She can handle herself properly, unlike this men and their melted brains."  
But no matter his words, the former chief went after the girl named Homura but she easily dodged his attack by jumping over him.  
"You bitch!" Yelled Kohaku as she ran at the girl, but even with Kohaku's swift moves, Homura dodged her attacks as well.

Next Homura ran straight toward Yae and Senku. At first, Yae put herself in front of Senku, shielding him just as Kohaku had told her to do. But Senku would have none of it and he hugged Yae from behind, turning her over quickly so that his back now faced Homura. Fortunately there was no need. Homura jumped over them both, and then Ginro and Kinro as well.  
"What are those moves?" Kohaku was amazed, yet cautious of her new enemy's skills.

With that, the enemy left, leaving the others helpless in their fight of putting the water out.  
"Everyone, this way!" Asagiri yelled.  
Yae and senku, along with others, ran to gather all of the villagers. There was too much fire and not enough able hands to snuff it out.

All of the bridges connecting to the main village were cut down. The villagers were stranded.  
"Everyone, we have to get to the science lab and my hut. It's safe there!" Chrome shouted, trying his best to get their attention. Senku and team gathered all they could together and escorted them safely to the science lab.

While the village burned to ash, it was up to the kingdom of science to keep the villagers safe.  
"Stay on guard." Kinro said sternly. "The enemy can attack at any given moment."  
"How are we supposed to protect all these people?" Ginro asked, clearly flustered.  
"Shelter the children in the science shed. It's our only hope." Kohaku told him.  
"O-okay!" But as Ginro ran to do as the lioness had instructed, a line of fire stopped him from doing so, and on the other side stood Homura.  
There was little time to react to the fire. It spread so quickly, making things even more difficult.  
"Grab the water!" Senku yelled.  
The villagers all helped bring buckets filled to the brim with water. There were some people who carried water in their water sacks as there was not enough buckets to go around. Even some of Senku's glass lab bottles were used.

All the while Ginro stood there helpless.  
"All those rocks and minerals Chrome gathered for all those years are going to be destroyed. We'll have to start from zero all over again. It'll take years!" He cried.  
Yae stopped just long enough to yell at him. "Then stop crying about it and actually help prevent it from happening!" She tossed the water from her bucket into the fire and watched it sizzle.  
And with all the commotion, no one noticed Suika run off. It was only after they had made a dent in putting out the fire did Kohaku finally notice the sweet little girl was missing.  
"Where's Suika?" asked Kohaku. "Did she get left behind?"  
"I saw her run off into the forest." Said Ginro. "I was going to go after her, but she was too fast. I think she said something about saving the village from the bad guys."  
Yae gasped. "We have to go after her! If they catch her..." She went silent. She didn't want to finish that sentence. Her face suddenly went grim. "You don't think..." She gulped, "that she went to the Emerald lake, do you?"  
"And this wind..." Kohaku wondered out lout.  
"There's something strange about it for sure." Senku said.  
Kohaku turned, ready to run after Suika, but Yae quickly grabbed her hand. "Wait! Let's think for a moment. Suika ran off in the direction as the lake, right? Well, remember what's over there?"  
Senku nodded. "She's right. We can't go just like this. Let's grab the gas masks!"

When Senku, Yae and Kohaku retrieved the gas masks they made their way toward the hot springs as fast as they could. Kohaku led the way while Yae followed and Senku right behind her. And there, just up ahead, was Suika. The wind was howling and Hyoga and Homura could be seen making their way up a tree.  
"Suika!" Senku yelled. "Get up in a tree!"  
Kohaku was quick and snatched Suika right up and climbed a near by tree, and just in time too as the deathly wind made its way down the path.

Yae grabbed on to Senku's hand out of reflex and in turn, Senku gave her a gentle squeeze, letter her know that he was okay.  
"Mother Nature is neither friend nor foe." Senku told her and chuckled. "She's as impartial as they come."  
"Hey you!" Yelled one of Hyoga's underlings. "Did you make this wind happen, you little shit!"  
Senku stared at him for a few seconds completely dumbfounded, so he decided to play along. "Yeah, you bet I did! That's what you get for pulling a dumbass move like a suicide attack. It's our kingdom of science with modern weapons." He seemed to have had his fill of messing with the idiot and walked over to where Suika and Yae stood safe in the tree, their gas masks securely on. "Now, Let's head back, Suika. If you breathe the air nice and slow you'll be fine."  
"Senku's right." Yae assured her. "See? We're okay."  
Senku laughed, turning his attention back on the enemy. "You guys can go back and suckle on mommy Tsukasa's ass...after you wait ten billion seconds for the poisonous gas to clear, that is."  
Yae smirked, no longer feeling the need to keep her weapon out and sheathed it. She then proceeded to flip Hyoga off. "Tell Tsukasa I have no interest in being a part of his little gang bang." And she walked off holding hands with Senku.

When they returned, the fire had been put out and there was already talk of rebuilding.  
"Ishigami village has won this battle!" Yelled Kokuyo. Everyone cheered. "And you, Suika," he said. "You managed quite an achievement."

While Suika was being praised, Senku walked off to think inside his lab. He was obviously planning their next move.  
"We'll need to overwhelm them with numbers." Yae heard Senku mumbling to himself. She had gone after him, wondering what his next plan was.  
"Spit it out. What's on your mind?" Yae asked.  
"Do you remember smart phones, Yae?"  
Yae raised a brow. "Smart pho—oh my God!"  
Senku laughed. "I take that as a yes."  
"Well, sort of." She said. "How are those going to help us? There are no cell towers."  
"With the way we'll be making them we won't need that."  
"You mean, more like a radio? A walky-talky?" She stopped for a second. "Holy shit! How am I remember all these things?" She scratched her head.  
Senku put his hands on her shoulders. "It'll be fine. In time, you'll remember everything!" He leaned in, kissing her. When he stopped, he fished out her ribbon and held it up for her to take back.  
Yae was about to grab when she suddenly remembered that he had been practically inhaling it while masturbating. "Uh..."  
"Just take it!" Senku forced it into her hand. "You need it to keep her hair out of your eyes when you train and fight."  
Yae quickly put her hair back into a braid. "Right..."  
Before returning to everyone outside, Senku said, "Listen, if you don't ever want to take our relationship further then I understand. Just know that it's normal for people to...do these things. It's called hormones."  
Yae couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Stupid, of course I know. And I would like to take our relationship further, but right now the village needs us." She grabbed his hand. "C'mon, lets go."

A day passed and the villagers were already rebuilding. Senku had waited to gather everyone because he wanted to give them time to catch their breaths before the next step.  
"What do you have to tell us, Senku? I'm sure by now that Tsukasa already knows that you're alive." Asagiri Gen said.  
"Ah, yeah. He'll also find out that we can produce gunpowder...not fast enough though."  
"Huh?" Said Ginro. "Not fast enough?"  
Senku went on to talk about the revival fluid and how Tsukasa was no doubt abusing that power. Worse yet, they hadn't revived a single person yet, and that was because they didn't have the nitric acid they needed.  
"We could make some out of dung or sea shells." Yae suggested, a day of science class sparked her memory.  
Senku thought about this idea for a moment gently nodded in agreement. "No nitric acid means no gunpowder either. Tsukasa is smart enough to figure that out easily.  
Yae groaned. "But we don't even have leftovers in our gunpowder supply."  
Kohaku sighed. "There's so much science lingo going on I can't follow with anything you're saying. Break it down more simply, will you?"  
"What I'm trying to say is, Ben if we have guns, he knows we can't really use them. Knowing Tsukasa, he'll have a full army built up and ready for a huge invasion."  
"And the more time that passes, the more men Tsukasa will have in his army." Asagiri Gen added, which didn't help their situation in the slightest, but at least he was honest.  
"So what are we gonna do?" Ginro asked.  
Senku smirked. "That should be obvious. We attack them first with one of our scientific inventions." He crossed his arms feeling mighty proud of himself.  
"I agree!" Kohaku said immediately. "Waiting will do is no good, so striking first is our best option."  
"They won't see it coming." Said Yae.  
"We've gotta put that weapon of science together first, though."  
Chrome stepped forward. "So what is this new weapon of science?"  
Yae held her breath. He was about to say it, and she couldn't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces.  
Senku chuckled. "Go ahead and cry tears of joy! It's time to break out the real modern technology! This is the stuff that won wars. The strongest weapon in two million years of human history."  
Asagiri gulped. "You don't mean nukes, do you?"  
Yae giggled evilly. "Nope!"  
"Ah, I should have known Senku would tell you before everyone else."  
"Our weapon all has to do with communication. We're going to make cellular phones right here in the stone world."  
Everyone looked at Senku like he had lost his mind. Yae on the other hand could barely hold her excitement in.

Magma and Mantle finally showed up. They couldn't resist listening in.  
"A cellphone? What's that? Some kind of fish?" Magma asked.  
Senku turned his attention to the rest of the villagers who were quickly approaching and explained the wonderful magic that was technology and the importance of a cellphone. The news left people feeling awestruck at how complex yet amazing it all sounded.  
"So you can talk to someone...when they're far away from you?"  
"That definitely sounds like sorcery." Magma said in regards to what Ginro said.  
"Is such a thing really possible?" Kohaku was trying to wrap her brain around the whole idea.  
However, Chrome and Kaseki were very excited to learn how it all worked.  
Kohaku walked up to Senku. "And that will be our weapon?"  
"You bet it will! Communication can completely turn the tide in a battle." Senku told her.  
"Suppose we have double agents who will leak information to us in real time."  
Yae scratched her head. "But Senku, we have no one on that side. Asagiri was found out."  
Senku smirked. "If we can coordinate our efforts right, we can completely dismantle Tsukasa's empire of might without any bloodshed."  
"But who would be our double agent?" Ginro asked.  
Yae looked to Senku for an answer. And then it hit her: Taiju and Yuzuriha. Senku had mentioned them before. Could they really help them?  
Senku chuckled. "That blockhead Taiju wanted his smartphone so badly. Looks like he's gonna get it. It'll just be a regular phone, of course, but it will help us tremendously."  
"We can do it!" Chrome said enthusiastically.  
"Listen," said Asagiri Gen. "You guys clearly aren't aware of this, but this plan is full of impossible things."  
Senku couldn't help but chuckle again. "Nothing about this is impossible. No matter how far off our goal may seem, if you stick to the rules, you'll get it ten billion percent of the time."  
"Because that's how science works." Yae's face gleamed with excitement.

When everyone dispersed, Yae found Senku in the science lab again. He had just finished going over more details with Chrome and Kaseki.  
"Senku, can I talk to you alone for a second?"  
Chrome and Kaseki looked at each other and then left the couple alone.  
"What's on your mind?" He asked  
"Hyoga said that Tsukasa was looking for me. If we fail at this, he'll take me away and if that happens..." Her bottom lip began to quiver.  
Senku stepped up to her, closing the gap. He pinned a rogue hair behind her ear. "That won't happen."  
"How do you know? How can you be so sure?"  
Senku pulled her into a hug and caressed her back and hair. "Because I won't let it. We have science on our side."  
Yae hugged him back. "I trust you, Senku."  
A new kind of worry planted itself inside of Senku. If Tsukasa was able to get his hands on Yae, he hated to imagine what kind of life she'd be living then. He'd hurt her mentally, physically...sexually perhaps, and then call it saving her from a life of greed. Senku held her a little bit tighter now. As long as they had science, victory was possible. That he could trust.

**Author's note: Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, or the story thus far. This was another hard chapter for me as there was little to work with in terms of having Senku and Yae alone time. **  
**Get ready for some oral sex! *laughs evilly***


	15. Chapter fifteen

Deep in the forest where Tsukasa's Empire of might rests, Hyoga had returned to his leader, Tsukasa himself.  
"You've returned." Tsukasa said as he stayed sitting on his stone throne. He then looked behind Hyoga and found that Asagiri Gen was not at his side. "And Asagiri? Where is he?"  
"It would appear your mentalist has betrayed us—betrayed you."  
Tsukasa sighed. "We must take every precaution to defeat Senku. We're going to need to divert a lot of manpower in preparation for the winter." Tsukasa stopped for a moment to think before saying, "Also, Hyoga, the Kingdom of Science is a fortress surrounded by water, correct?"  
"Yes." Hyoga answered him.  
Tsukasa continued. "It's all but a lake that will freeze over come winter. If they hold the fort, it will be difficult to attack. Our morale and food wouldn't outlast theirs in an encirclement. We need to be careful from now on." A smirk crept across Hyoga's face and Tsukasa wondered what was so funny. "Something on your mind, Hyoga?"  
"I'm thrilled to tell you that the one you've been looking for, Yae Sawa, is alive and she's with Senku and his followers." Hyoga hung his head a bit. "It would appear that she does not remember you."  
Tsukasa sat up straighter, suddenly very curious about this new information. "I see. So she's suffering from amnesia. Poor thing. She has no idea the kind of life she could be living, and yet she's trapped inside her own mind, held back by Senku's false promises." He grinned. "I'm so looking forward to saying hello."

* * *

After Senku had gone over their plan a second time, explaining that in the next six months Tsukasa would undoubtedly make his move, and in that time there was a lot to prepare for. Taiju and Yuzuriha would be one of their main focuses. It was scary to think of using them as leverage in fear that Tsukasa would kill them, but Senku assured them that those two are potential hostages and Tsukasa wouldn't be stupid enough to jeopardize that.

For now, everyone went on with their regular routine. Tomorrow they would start with the preparations. As for Yae, she was taking this opportunity to work on her skill with cheese making. She had given her pet goat plenty of grains to help lactate faster. She was doing her best to perfect the art of making cheese.  
Yae scratched her head, doing her best to remember what steps came next. There was a vague memory of culinary class where they had made their own cream and cheese.  
"Yuzuriha..." Yae mumbled. The other girl was definitely in her class, but no matter how hard Yae tried to put a face to the name, it always came out blurry in the end.

After another hour, Yae checked the box of cheese that had been sitting out since the day before. She mumbled Yuzuriha's name again as she took a nibble of her cheese. The taste was sour, not what she had hoped for, and nearly gaged.  
"What about Yuzuriha?" Senku came walking up behind her.  
With the sour cheese still in her mouth, Yae swallowed hard, suppressing the urge to shudder and gag. "Nothing. I'm just trying to remember her."  
"Oh," Senku leaned to the side, eyeing the goat and box of cheese. "You made cheese?" Senku said surprised. "Can I try some?"  
Yae opened her mouth, ready to tell him no, but then decided to do something else. She picked off a piece of cheese and handed it to him. "Here." She held her breath, waiting for Senku's reaction.  
The piece of cheese was inside his mouth for two seconds before he suddenly spat it out. "Ugh!" He spat raspberries, trying to rid himself free from the disgusting taste. "Are you trying to kill me?"  
Yae laughed. Hard. But then nearly gaged again as the thought of tasting it a second time came to mind. "I'm sorry." She coughed. "I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to see your face as you put it in your mouth."  
"What a cruel joke." He said.  
Yae shrugged. "If it means anything to you, I was the first to try it. Obviously I haven't mastered the science behind making cheese." She took the box and chucked the remaining cheese out. "Trial and error." She muttered.  
"Hey, Listen." Senku said. "It's getting late and we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and for the next six months. Making cheese can wait."  
Yae sighed, putting her friendly goat away in its pin. "I do this because it helps me think...and keeps things off my mind."  
Senku wasn't sure what to say to her. He wasn't good with these sorts of things. "It's fine. We all have something we gotta do." He took a step to turn away and then stopped. "Your tent wasn't spared during the fire. Kohaku said you could stay with her until we rebuild. Don't be out here too long by yourself, okay?"  
Yae nodded. "Yeah..."

When night finally fell, Kohaku had welcomed Yae into her tent with open arms.  
"You can put your things right there. I also set up a bed next to mine, but lately it's been cold at night, so feel free to share my bed if you get cold."  
Yae nodded, setting what little she had next to the make-shift bed. There was a small fire going and left over soup from dinner which Yae devoured.  
"How is your cheese making going?"  
Yae smirked at the memory of Senku spitting out the cheese. "Not as well as I had hoped, but I'll get there."  
Kohaku smiled. "I'm excited to try it. What does cheese taste like? Do you remember before everything turned to stone?"  
Yae took off her clothes and put on a simple cotton nightdress; plain and boring and somewhat see through, but it was all she had and it was comfortable to sleep in. "It's hard to explain because there are so many different types. It can be chewing or gooy."  
"Well, it sounds amazing." The lioness unraveled the rope from her dress and hair and then snuggled under her covers. "Goodnight."

The fire was but a dim glow as the night grew older. Animals from deep in the forest could be heard prowling about, hunting their prey, but they were far away and posed no threat to the villagers as they slept.  
Yae tossed and turned in her bed. She was restless again as a certain tingling feeling sat in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't hungry, she wasn't sick, she was...horny. The thought of Senku between her thighs was making her wet; she could feel the discharge spill out on to her underwear. Yae had been feeling this way all day and it was driving her crazy. She didn't want to risk waking Kohaku up with any weird sounds by taking care of the problem here and now.

After waiting another thirty minutes, just to make sure her friend was asleep, Yae carefully sneaked out into the night. She had with her a brown shawl to keep her warm as she traipsed through the village unnoticed. She slowly made her way to Senku's tent where a small light could be seen poking out from underneath the leather flap.  
With all that training she had been doing with Kohaku, Yae could easily slip in and out of places, and so far Senku has yet to notice her.  
"Ahem!" She cleared her throat.  
Senku jumped and spun around quickly eyes wide. "Yae? What are you doing here?"  
She took a step closer. "I wanted to see you."  
Senku raised a brow. "What for?"  
She took another step closer, placing her hands behind her back and giving him a shy look.  
"No." Senku said.  
"But I haven't said anything." Yae's shoulders slumped.  
"I know what you're going to ask and the answer is no."  
"What was I going to ask?"  
Senku opened his mouth and then paused, thinking. "You want to talk about Taiju and Yuzuriha, right?"  
Yae slapped her palm to her forehead. "Not even close."  
Senku looked surprised. "Really? I thought maybe that was it since you were mumbling Yuzuriha's name earlier."  
Yae sighed and looked off to the side.  
"Yae?" Senku was genuinely curious now.  
"I've been feeling kind of weird lately, especially today?"  
"Weird? Are you sick?" Yae shook her head. "Then what is it?"  
Yae's face went a shade pink as she looked over at him. "I've been having these...urges."  
Senku swallowed. Hard. "Oh..." He picked his ear.

An awkward silence fell between the two.  
"Masturbating helps with that." Senku said bluntly.  
"Ah!" Yae stomped her foot. "I..." Her palms started to sweat. "We might be dead in six months."  
Senku scoffed. "That's bullshit."  
"Is it?"  
"Of course it is."  
This time Yae scoffed. "You're So confidant that your plan will work, huh?"  
"It will work!"  
While they argued back and forth, they hadn't noticed how closely they had become, their noses almost touching.  
"You're too smart for your own good!"  
"Good! At least someone is!" With that, Senku leaned in and kissed Yae, grabbing her arms and holding her still. Yae pushed on his chest with all her might and watched him fall back on to his fur covered bed. Yae hopped on top, straddling him. She leaned down, hair falling over her shoulder as she kissed Senku back, continuing the vigorous session.

When Senku tried to sit up right, Yae held him down by the shoulders; she wasn't done yet.  
"I want to know what it feels like before I die." Yae started. "What if we become so busy after tonight that we never get the chance?" Senku opened his mouth to speak but Yae pressed a finger to his lips. "What if this moment is all we have?" She lifted her finger and Senku quickly grabbed her hand and moved it out of his face.  
"When was the last time you had your period?"  
The question threw Yae off the roll she was on. "What?" But Senku repeated himself, so Yae answered him with a voice filled with uncertainty. "Uh, about two weeks ago?"  
"You're at your most fertile right now. If we were to have sex, you could get pregnant."  
"What if...you pulled out?"  
Senku shook his head. "No. You can get pregnant even from precum. I'm not going to risk it. Plus, we don't have a condom."  
"Can you make one?" Yae said with interest.  
Senku rolled his eyes. "Not now."  
"Well of course not now, but later?"  
"I'll think about it."  
"You talk too much."  
Senku seized his moment and flipped Yae over. He pinned her to his bed and caressed her neck with his lips, trailing sweet little kissed down to her collarbone. He stopped and looked her up and down. Her shawl had been lost during the tumbling they taken seconds before, and now her soft pink nipples shown through her nightdress. Senku felt himself growing hard.  
_How am I supposed to keep myself from losing my virginity right here and now? What's stopping me? Oh, right. Children. _  
Senku mentally fought with himself before he finally decided it best not potentially impregnate her. He slid her gown up over her hips and Yae spread her legs. Senku nearly blushed at the sight and before he made any moves he looked to her for reassurance. When she nodded, Senku put his fingers on her panties, feeling how wet she had become from sexual arousal.

Senku took his time rubbing her, getting her used to his touch, and then slipped off her panties to reveal the most private area of all. Her inner thighs were wet from leukorrhea and this pleased the young scientist greatly. It meant that he was doing exactly everything right. But now came the next part. She was bare to him, open and vulnerable. The sight of her looked so sweet and inviting.  
_Kami Sama, help me. _  
Senku gulped as he pressed a steady hand against her womanhood. Her warm, sticky touch excited him by ten billion percent, his penis erecting to its full length. He rubbed her clitoris, the center point to her deepest pleasures. He worked at her for a few moments, watching her squirm from time to time whenever he hit a nerve.  
"Just relax." He told her. His voice was calm and soothing. Not even he thought words could come out of his mouth like that, but with Yae it was different.  
"I am relaxed." She giggled and sighed deeply.  
"Is that a good spot for you?" Senku asked.  
Yae could barely speak. It felt too good for words. "Yeah..." She whispered.  
Senku wanted to experiment more with her though and he laid flat on his stomach, grabbing her hips to hold her steady and put his mouth on her vagina, spreading her lips with his tongue and first licking her labia.

A high-pitched gasp escaped Yae's mouth when she felt Senku touch her in this way. So gentle and caring he had been through the entire thing was something that didn't go unnoticed to her.  
_I want to know what it feels like. I want to know what you think about all this. I want you inside of me. _  
Yae clutched the fur at her sides, moaning as a shiver of pure ecstasy shot through her body, rendering her hopeless in anything else but lying there, taking it all in selfishly. Her body went weak, her muscles feeling like mush as she lost grip on the fur and went limp.  
"Stay as you are." Senku got to his knees, pulled up the ends of his clothes and pulled out his manhood from his undergarment and stroked his dick. His heart was racing, his head filled with nothing but lustrous thoughts and let himself go.  
He moaned, cumming all over Yae's belly. He tried to keep his groaning down in fear that someone would walk in on them, then again, if anyone did hear it was none of their business anyway.  
Seeing cum on her brought Senku to a territorial level towards Yae. She was his partner. He grabbed a ripped piece of cloth and wiped Yae clean and flopped down next to her.

After cooling down from the heated moment, Yae pulled down her nightdress and snuggled up with Senku. Perhaps the snuggling should have happened first, but it all worked out in the end. Now that they had both had a taste of what sex could be—what it could mean for them both—Yae feared that six months was all they were going to get.  
"Senku." She whispered his name but when he did not respond she called his name again. Nothing happened. It was then she noticed he had passed out. She knew better than to wake him and instead nestled next to him a bit longer before returning to Kohaku's tent. "I love you, Senku." But the young scientist barely stirred as his dreams took him another blissful journey.

**Author's note: Sorry it took so long. With the holidays happening I've been picking up extra hours at work. All last week was double pay...so guess where I was. Now it's time for a four day weekend. Yass! **  
**Anyway! I really hope the wait was worth it. **  
**Don't be shy to let me know what you think.**


	16. Chapter sixteen

**Before we start, I have to say something. I have almost 6,000 views on this story and I'm begging to wondering if all those views are just a bunch of robots. The other sites I have this story on are blowing up with comments...and on here...I feel like the only real people reading the story are the ones who have left those 13 reviews. If I was only posting on here, and not on the other sites, I probably would have stopped writing this story a long time ago. So until then, I'll just assume a bunch of robots are viewing the story randomly.  
I'm only little bit salty over this. Maybe its because my uterus is yelling at me. **

Yae woke later than expected. Her late night outing involving Senku had made her more tired than she realized. However, it was worth it. She had sneaked back into Kohaku's tent not much later and fell asleep fairly quickly. Once her needs had been met, going to bed was easier. Feeling refreshed, Yae yawned and stretched her limbs, fixed her hair and rinsed her mouth clean.

As she stepped out, the village was hard at work. With Senku as the village chief, people had no other choice but to follow his orders, not that they wouldn't to begin with. With Tsukasa's Empire of Might at their backs, no one was slacking.  
From corner of Yae's eye she saw Kohaku, Chrome, and Senku walking along while holding blocks of wood.  
"It sure makes a difference having so many people to help." Chrome noticed Yae and called out to her. "Yae! Nice of you to join us!"  
Yae ran over to them and took some of the load off of Senku seeing as he was somewhat struggling. "Hey, guys." She made eye contact with Senku for a second to see if his mood was different from what they did last night. There was none, which Yae expected as much.  
"The reason why its so easy is because Senku won the seat of the village chief."  
"Yeah, good news indeed." Senku said. "We're taking on a huge task of making cell phones in the real world. There are a mountain of hurdles we need to clear." He set his pile of wood down in a pile with everyone else's  
"Oh yeah! That cell phone thing!" Chrome said loudly, his eyes expanding from pure excitement. "Tell me how it lets you talk to people from really far away."

Suddenly, Kaseki made himself known. He mus have overheard and let himself join in on the conversation. "Yes! How does it work? Hurry up and tell me!"  
Senku backed up. "Give me some space, will ya? You're getting way too excited."  
"Can you blame them?" Yae said.  
Senku looked at her and sighed as a small grin spread across his face. "Your voice is a vibration of air. Point that vibration at a diaphragm, and it produces a super tiny electrical current in rhythm with the vibration." Senku started talking with hands to emphasis what he was explaining. "The current is way too small, of course, so you blow it up."  
Yae rubbed her chin. "Doesn't that work kind of like a tunnel? No, a vacuum tube?"  
Senku nodded. "Correct. And then, we send it around in a circle, which sends it in a wave of power. That's called a radio wave. And the listening side does the exact opposite." Senku finished.  
Chrome went from super excited to somewhat confused, but still remained highly interested nonetheless. "I only got about half of that, but it sounds really cool!"  
"I didn't get any of it." Kaseki said, feeling someone defeated, his excitement deflating.  
Asagiri Gen heard what was going on and couldn't help but let his thoughts be known. "I think this conversation is too high of an IQ for them to understand. It's even making my head hurt."  
Senku ignored whatever was being said and got right to the point. "The first thing we're making in our giant science project is...a cotton candy machine." The seriousness on Senku's face almost made Yae bust out in fits of laughter, meanwhile no one else knew what he was talking about, and Asagiri looked as pale in the face as ever.

It was a good thing that Kaseki was so skilled in the art of making crafts, otherwise all of this would have taken more time. After a few hours, their little cotton candy machine was nearly done.  
"What's this?" Suika asked.  
Senku held the object up for everyone to see. "You put sugar crystals in here and spin it around. The centrifugal force pushes molten sugar out through the small holes, resulting in thin strands."  
"And that's how you get cotton candy." Yae said.  
"Do you remember it?" Senku asked.  
Yae shook her head. "No, unfortunately." However, there was a different kind of candy she wanted and it involved Senku. She pursed her lips together to stop herself from grinning.  
Senku turned his attention back to everyone else. "And what do you guys think would happen if you used gold instead of sugar?"  
"We'll get gold threads!" Chrome burst enthusiastically.  
"Correct. Ten billion points!"  
Asagiri nodded, finally understanding. "Ah, so like the wires in electronics. The IQ in this conversation is finally going back up."  
With that said, Chrome started making his way to his hut. "I'll get the gold!"  
"No," Senku said. "Gold is precious. We cant afford to mess us." He picked at his ear. "Let's try cotton candy first."  
Yae beamed with delight. "Really? Yay!"  
Senku smiled at her. "Well of course. We have to test it out first."  
"You're right," said Asagiri. "We need to taste...I mean, test it."  
Yae giggled at this. "Sure."

With everyone hard at work repairing the village, time went by fast. Yae stayed with Suika, Kaseki and Asagiri while the others went in search for more supplies.  
"Hey, Yae," started Asagiri. "Are you and Senku officially a couple?"  
Yae blushed. "W-we're together, yes. Why do you ask?"  
The mentalist shrugged. "Just wondering. With him being the village chief and all I'm surprised you two aren't sharing a place together...yet."  
Yae's red face went a shade darker. "We're not at that level!" She lied, not really anyway. It wasn't like they had gone all the way.  
"Sure you're not. I mean, this is the stone age. What is abstinence these days anyway? All those rules about waiting until marriage was man made anyway. This is the real world and its survival of the fittest. Wouldn't you agree? There's no time to waste with things like marriage. During the first stone age you'd find a partner and that was it." He paused. "Usually anyway."  
Yae opened her mouth to say more, but by then the others had returned, and with sugar crystals no less from wine.

Once ready, Ginro and Kinro got to work spinning the crystallized sugar. Everyone else watched in amazing as the candy started to take shape.  
By now, even Ruri had come over to see what was happening.  
"What is that fluffy stuff?" Kohaku's eyes lite up in a way Yae had never seen before.  
"It's so white, like a cloud." Suika said.  
Senku took a stick and whipped up some of the fluffy candy into a ball and handed it off to Kohaku, and then Yae, and then everyone else. He watched with anticipation as everyone took their first bite. Squeals erupted from everyone, especially the girls.  
"The taste is indescribable!" Kohaku said as she took another bite.  
"It melts in my mouth right away!" Ruri blushed holding her cheeks as the inside of her mouth tingled from the sweet taste.  
"It's the best thing ever!" Suika cheered.  
Senku looked over and Yae and asked. "Bring any memories back? Perhaps a celebration of some sort?"  
Yae was nearly done with her cotton candy. "Hmmm," she pondered in thought for a moment. "I remember music, and standing in a crowded street, but no faces are familiar to me."  
At least there was that. Senku sighed. "Better than nothing, I suppose."

As more of the villagers gathered around, Kohaku ran up to her father. "Here, father, try some."  
He was unsure of this unusual looking thing known as candy, but gave it a try nonetheless. With one bite it was enough to win his taste-buds over. He was beside himself with surprise by how good the fluffy treat was. Soon, everyone in the village had tried a bite and they were quickly falling in love with the stuff.  
"It's no surprise they like it so much." Said Asagiri. "They've never had candy before."  
"Yeah, it's just cotton candy, but for someone whose never had it before, it must be mind-blowing to them."  
"Gotta thank Homura for making the materials for us, by starting the fire, I mean." Yae shot the mentalist a suspicious look. "I'm not saying I agree with what she did. It just kind of...worked out, ya know?" He quickly explained. "Sheesh, Yae. After all this time and you still don't trust me?"  
"To be quite honest with you, mentalist, I don't really trust anyone."  
Asagiri shrugged. "Fair enough."  
"Asagiri." Senku said suddenly. "Do you know what kind of woman Homura is?"

When others caught wind of this, especially Ginro, he couldn't help himself but start teasing his friend.  
"Oh? Are you getting curious about girls? Huh? Huh?" Even some of the village girls rushed over.  
"No, I don't think that's what he meant." Chrome told him.  
Kohaku sighed. "You guys understand Senku at all."  
Yae bonked Ginro on the head. "Stop that, you weirdo!"  
Ginro held his head and backed away. "Ouch! That hurt, Yae."  
"Hah! Serves you right."  
"We're being watched." Said Senku. "All of us." He said seriously.  
"You mean by Homura?" asked Yae. "Makes sense."  
Asagiri chuckled somewhat, as if not surprised at all. "Well of course. She's the only one Hyoga trusts."  
Ginro nearly dropped his cotton candy. "You mean she's watching us right now?"  
"Of course she's watching us." Said Senku. "From a distance, that is. If we make any big moves, she can chase us down, if we chose to run away."  
Ginro shook with fear.  
Kohaku stepped forward. "Hah! Like we'd ever run away."  
"Indeed. We have many elderly people who wouldn't be able to move." Said Kokuyo.  
"Right!" Said Kohaku as she bawled her hand into a fist. "There are no cowards here who would leave the elderly behind."  
"N-nope! Of course there isn't!" Ginro was quick to agree as a bead of sweat dripped from his forehead.  
Asagiri went on to explain. "Homura respects Hyoga greatly, and would never do anything to disobey him. I don't think she'll cause us any trouble if we leave her be."  
"Do you think we could sway her into switching sides?" Yae asked.  
Asagiri shook his head. "Not a chance."  
"Hmm." Senku pondered in thuoght for a short moment. "I have an idea. Yae, Kohaku, stay here and watch the village. Kinro, Ginro, come with me."

Later that evening, Once Senku and the brothers had returned, Chrome said, "Do you really think it was a good idea to give the enemy candy?"  
Senku smirked. "Heh! If Homura continued to watch us, she'll tell Tsukasa about the candy. Sweets are crazy tempting. Some of them might rethink their allegiance."  
"That's a pretty good strategy." Said Yae.  
"I see." Said the lioness.  
"You're as nasty as ever, Senku." Asagiri told him. "I mean that as a compliment, of course."  
After being silent through most of the conversation, Ruri said, "I think that Senku just wanted to share some of the candy with her. That's all."  
Before heading to bed, everyone cleaned up the sweet, sticky mess in preparation for tomorrows work. Yae gave Senku a knowing look as he shook his head.  
"Not tonight." He said it so that only she could hear and so that no one would ask them what they were talking about. "Tomorrow is another big day. We need our rest. Besides, I haven't had time to make that _thing_ you want."  
"What do you—oh, I get it." Yae quickly understood that he was talking about making a condom. "Okay." She agreed. "Later then." Not to mention, she was still fertile.

That next morning, Yae woke early enough to do her own thing before the real work around the village began. She took her pet goat to drink some fresh water and eat the plants the forest had to offer. She knew she was risking running into trouble by being out here alone.  
As she made her way to the weeping woman, Yae placed more flowers atop her head and said a quick prayer. This was starting be a sort of good luck charm to her—kind of like visiting the Buddha and paying your respects. It was then she noticed an injured hawk hiding near a bush. It's wing was broken and when Yae tried to approach it, it freaked out and tried to fly away, but alas it could not. So Yae went about helping the hawk a different way. She reached in her pocket and tossed some dried berries at the hawk. The hawk moved quickly and devoured the fruit.  
Yae smiled. "If you stay put, I'll come back tomorrow with more food." She turned to face the weeping statue and bowed.  
"Do you know that woman?" asked a soft voice.  
Yae spun around quickly and froze. Homura was standing just a few feet away. "No, I don't." Answered Yae.  
"Then why are you putting flowers on her as if she's part of some grave?"  
"I'm doing it out of respect." Yae said with a hard tone in her voice. "She was crying when the went turned to stone. She's been crying all these years, so I feel bad for her."  
"Hmm." Homura cocked her head to the side. "Maybe she's dead though."  
Why was the enemy talking to her so nonchalantly? Did she want something? "What do you want?"  
"I don't want anything from you."  
"Then why are you here?"  
"To know you better." Her facial expression remained the same: cold and emotionless.  
Yae knew better than to start a fight with the pink haired girl, so she tried a different approach to ease her tension. "Did you like the candy we gave you?"  
Homura said nothing at first. Perhaps she was thinking of what to say next. "Watch your back, girl. Tsukasa is certain you'll come around."  
"You mean betray my friends for a stranger? I don't think so, sorry."  
"You and Tsukasa are not strangers." Homura said bluntly. "Here's a hint, girl: he was your first real friend."  
"Pretty sure I wouldn't befriend a psycho." Yae struggled to remain calm.  
"Bold words towards someone who saved your life all those years ago." With that she ran off, leaving Yae alone in her thoughts.

By the time Yae returned to the village, Ginro was crying.  
"We'll never finish making the cell phones before Tsukasa's army arrives!"  
"Relax." Said Senku. "We're discussing a serious matter."  
"The flavor of cotton candy?" Kohaku guessed, sighing.  
"The cotton candy ends up with a bunch of clumps." Asagiri said. "I'm guessing the same will happen with the gold wire?"  
This caught Chrome's attention. "Oh, that's right! Good thing we tested it on the cotton candy first."  
"Yeah," started Senku. "We'll have to figure out what's causing the clumps before we throw in the gold."  
Kaseki groaned. "Trial and error, huh? Talk about doing things last minute."  
"Perhaps we're not going fast enough?" Yae pitched the idea.  
"That's plausible. Only one way to find out."

Kinro and Ginro went at it again, spinning the the contraption as quickly as possible. Chrome kept a keen on eye on it, soon realizing what their problem was. "There!" He shouted.  
Senku saw it too. "Yeah, it happens the exact moment the rope's tugged in the opposite direction. The speed in the rotation stops and causes everything to clump." He looked to Yae. "You were half right."  
"Is there a way to fix that so we don't lose speed?" Kohaku asked. She quickly looked over at Kinro and Ginro. "Using your brotherly bond, maybe?"  
"That's crazy!" Said Kinro.  
"Then let's use a stupid long rope." Chrome suggested.  
"I'm afraid that wont work either." Yae told him.  
"I'd die!" Ginro said in his defense.  
Kaseki then said, "How about we spin it by hand with that generator over there?"  
"Too slow." Said Senku.  
Kohaku blinked at him, as if the answer to that was easy. "That's what willpower is for!"  
"What if we take turns?" Kinro offered.  
Kokuyo walked up. "We need people, though. We need to start preparing for winter. We can't give all of our manpower to science."  
"He's right." Yae had to agree.  
"We can't even use the revival fluid to get more people." Said Asagiri.

Just before Senku was about to open his mouth, Yae slammed her fist into her palm. "I've got it!" She said.  
"If you're thinking what I'm thinking, then it's going to be a bit of work. I'm sure Kaseki can pull it off though."  
Hearing this raised Kaseki interest, and he set to work with Senku right away.

Together they had made a circular contraption.  
"We're making what revolutionized energy in human history. The gear!" Senku said proudly. He looked to Kohaku. "Can I see your shield?"  
"Uh, okay." She handed it to him.  
Senku held it up for demonstration. "It's ten billion percent the right shape for the gear."  
"You're going to use that?" Said Kaseki.  
"Didn't the village chief give that to his daughter?" Ginro mentioned.  
Kokuyo looked embarrassed all of a sudden. "Well, I don't mind, but I'm sure Kohaku won't want to part with it since she received it from me all those years ago."  
"Nah. I don't mind at all." Kohaku said bluntly. She took her own shield and start hammering in the the remaining pieces. "Practicality first!"  
Kokuyo's mouth dropped, not expecting his daughter to do that. "So savage!"

A few minutes later, the gear and shield were put into place. Ginro stood behind it, turning it effortlessly.  
"Wow! This is amazing! It's so easy! I only have to go in one direction and do it slowly. I could do this forever on my own."  
Everyone was impressed by how well it was working.  
"But can it really go slowly in one direction?" Chrome wondered. "It spins around and catches..." Suddenly, he burst with excitement. "I have an idea!" He walked up to Kaseki and grabbed his hands.  
"What's gotten into you?" Old man Kaseki Yelled as Chrome pulled him over to the side.  
"Just hear me out."  
With the seconds that followed, Kaseki's clothes practically ripped off of me. "Right! Let's haul ass!" He took off walking in the opposite direction with Chrome hanging over his shoulder."  
Kohaku raised a brow. "Talk about suspicious. I wonder what Chrome is up to?"  
Senku rubbed his head. "He must have come up with some kind of scheme."  
"Let him be." Said Asagiri. "When a boy is up to mischief, you're not supposed to look until he done."  
"Pretty sure that's not how it works." Yae said.  
Senku chuckled. "We don't have time to worry about him. You're all in for some hellish work!" He took some gold thread and started twisting them together and then working it into a coil.  
"How long do we need to make it?" Kohaku asked.  
"I'd say from right here to...that mountain!" He pointed.  
"So we're relying heavily on manpower again, is that it?" Asagiri didn't look pleased.  
"No time to waste." Said Yae. "Let's get started!"  
"Well it's a good thing he's Chief then, because he can get everyone to do his dirty work without any trouble." And like that the village came together to help create the gold wire. It took all day and well into evening before they finally stopped to rest for the night.

This process went on for a few days before any real progress was met. During that time, the villagers took turns. While some worked on the project, the others helped prepare for winter. As for Yae, she spent her free time working on cheese and checking on the hawk. She gave it food and water and a worn blanket to lay on. Hopefully soon it would warm up to her let her take it back to the village so she could properly mend its wing.

That next morning, just as they were finishing up, Chrome came crawling out of the forest. At first, Yae thought that he might have been attacked, but then he grinned.  
"It's done, Senku..." His voice was hoarse. "We stayed up for three whole days!"  
"I can tell." Yae noticed the dark circles under his eyes.  
Everyone rushed to see what it that Chrome and Kaseki had built, and by their surprise, it was a huge defeat!  
"What is that?" asked Kohaku. Her mouth dropped in awe.  
Kaseki walked over. "I'm really awesome too, but it's this blade of science that's really awesome. It would have never worked if I didn't this iron cutting tool."  
"What do you think, Senku? Do you think my invention is awesome or what? This is payback for when you got me good with the magnet." Chrome was super proud of himself.  
"I thought you'd be more surprised." Said Kaseki.  
"It's a waterwheel." Said Senku.  
Kaseki and Chrome fell over themselves. "Of course you know what it is!" Said Chrome.  
"A waterwheel?" Kinro looked at it impressed.  
Kaseki pouted. "I'd already come up with a name for it. The forever skinny cotton candy machine!"  
"I like waterwheel better." Ginro admitted.  
"Oh, I'm plenty shocked, all right. I can't believe you built something like this without any knowledge."  
"That's really impressive, Chrome." Yae praises him. "Not even I know how to go about making one."  
This seemed to cheer up Chrome and Kaseki.  
"This is a way bigger deal than an automatic cotton candy machine. There's something else, remember? That generator that Kinro and Ginro had been spinning..."  
"You don't mean..." Said Asagiri.  
Senku nodded. "With gears and waterwheel, the age of human power is over. With an infinite contraption that requires no fuel, we're finally harnessing the power of nature." Senku held two ends of the gold wire together and sparks flew. "Were overcoming manpower and entering the age of energy!"  
Yae looked at him. She had a deep respect for Senku. Not only was he insanely smart, but he was good with his hands too, and not just making things for science, but also giving her an undeniable amount of pleasure.

**Author's note: In case anyone is wondering how to pronounce Yae's name, it's Y as in 'yes' and the AE sounds like the 'igh' as in 'sigh'. I hope that helps, if not you can google how it's pronounced.**


	17. Chapter seventeen

Everyone stood in awe as they stared up at Chrome's and Kaseki's waterwheel. It was an amazing feat indeed.  
"With gears and a waterwheel, the age of human power is over." Senku said with a determined look in his eyes. "Whith an infinite contraption that requires no fuel, we're finally harnessing the power of nature!" Sparks flew as Senku brought the two ends together.  
While the others remained totally fascinated and maybe unsure of this new technology, Yae was excited by ten billion percent and couldn't wait to continue to build their kingdom of science!  
"We're overcoming manpower and entering the age of energy!" Senku continued to tell everyone.  
A hydroelectric power plant was officially Acquired.  
"W-What is this?" Kohaku asked.  
"A hydroelectric power plant."  
"Hydroelectric?" Kinro said in question. No doubt he would have called it sorcery, but he knew better now. Everyone did. It was the power of science, not cheap magic tricks.  
Asagiri Gen nearly rolled his eyes. "This is insane, Senku."  
Senku only chuckled at this. "Save your praise for Chrome and Grandpa Kaseki here. They're the ones who built this huge-ass waterwheel." He crossed his arms. "It's not done yet though. All of our precious electricity is leaking away." He tested the two ends again. The spark was smaller.  
"What does that mean?" Suika asked. She looked at both Senku and Yae for an answer.  
"We'll have to build some kind of box in order to store the electricity." Said Yae.  
Ginro looked impressed. "We can store all that spinning power?" His mouth dropped.  
"Yeah," said Senku. "But it'll be a pain in the ass to build." He looked back at Chrome and Kaseki. "Hey, you two. Get up off your asses. We have a shit-ton of high-level crafting to do before we can make our cell-phones."  
Yae sighed. She knew there was going to be more. With senku, there was always work to be done, but it was all worth it. However, everyone else was hoping to hear some better news and all they're mouths dropped.  
"Damn..." Chrome looked as though he didn't have much fight left in him.  
This mattered not to Senku. He seemed rather excited over the whole thing—as he should be. "This is the start of our Spartan crafts club! Damn, this is so exhilarating!"

Later that day, Senku got to work with Chrome and Kaseki. It was time to make the box that would be strong enough to hold the electricity. Meanwhile, Yae had made her daily run to the weeping woman to pay her respects. But more importantly, she was worried about the hawk. The poor animal was still laying there and this time it seemed more friendly toward Yae and her goat.  
"C'mon lil guy. I won't hurt you." She reached forward very slowly. The hawk stuck its beak at her, warning her to stay away. "Hey now, I'm trying to save your life." She was surprised the hawk was still alive. Finally the hawk calmed, letting Yae sit next to it. She offered it some dry food and while it was busy eating, she wrapped it in a soft blanket and bundled it in her arms.

When Yae returned she saw Senku and the others over by the containers they had created. It would seem they had completed their project rather quickly.  
"Is the electricity really being stored in these containers?" Ginro asked. "All the spinning power from those disks—" Ginro pokes his finger on the device and immediately regretted it. His hair stuck straight up and goosebumps covered his body. He helped in pain before falling to the ground.  
"Uh...it's definitely in there." Kohaku said. She then noticed Yae making her way over and waved at her. "Nice if you to join us. We're watching Ginro embarrass himself again." She noticed the hawk. "New friend?"  
Yae smiled and nodded. "I see that." Yae held back a giggle in regard to Ginro.  
Ginro suddenly shot up, no longer in pain from the shock. "Does that mean I don't have to do all that painful turning with Kinro anymore?"  
"Yep, never again." Senku told him. "I told you, it's the age of energy now."  
"Hooray for energy!" Ginro and Kinro clapped hands.  
"Even Kinro is excited." Kokuyo said.  
"Turning the thing must have been really hard." Said Suika.  
"That just means we're going to use their manpower elsewhere." Senku said.  
Yae grinned. "Of course you would say that."  
"Good!" A light glimmered in Kohaku's eyes. "That means we fighters can train some more."  
She glances over at Yae. "That means you too."  
Yae looked over at Senku apologetically. "Sorry, Senku. I can't help you with your creations this time. Duty calls."  
"It's okay. I know how Kohaku can get." He smiled to let her know that it was fine.  
Yae turned to Kohaku and said. "Let me put these two away and I'll come right back." She ran off to put her pet goat back in its pin and placed the injured hawk inside Kohaku's tent. "Now stay put. I'll be back later tonight and feed you again." Yae gently set the hawk down where her bed was made up and ran out to meet up with Kohaku and the others.

Kohaku was not one to let up while training. She wanted everyone to be the best that they could be and going easy wasn't something she ever did.  
"Put your backs into it!" She yelled at Ginro.  
Kinro came up from behind her, but Kohaku easily blocked his attack the moment she pushed Ginro out of her way.  
"We only have a few months before the big battle. You three need to be in shape if you want to defeat Tsukasa and Hyoga."  
Yae jumped, a technique she had picked up from watching Kohaku. She wasn't afraid to slam her katana down upon the lioness's head because she knew she would block it.  
"Nice move coming from above!" Kohaku clashed weapons with Yae. "But you will have to do better than that. The two fought over dominance but Kohaku eventually pushed Yae back. "The three of you can do better than this, I know it!"  
Today, Yae wished she was making gears with Senku and the others. Instead, sweet little Suika was in her place to keep an eye on the boys. Thinking of Senku put Yae somewhat off guard and Kohaku tripped her. She fell hard on her rump but she wasn't about to give up now as she raised her katana and blocked Kohaku's blow.  
Kinro came up fast and forced the lioness to back off, and soon Ginro ganged up on her as well.

Kohako jumped into the air and kicked the brothers in the chin with the tip of her sandals, sending them flying. She took a breath and then sheathed her weapon. "That's it for right now. Why not take a break and think about your moves."  
The brothers bowed to Kohaku and ran off before she could change her mind. Yae, however, continued to sit there, eyes staring straight ahead.  
"Hey, are you okay?" Kohaku noticed the unease hidden behind her friend's eyes. "Yae...?"  
It only lasted a second, but to Yae it was much longer. The strain of training and being knocked on her bottom and nearly cut down, sent Yae on a trip down memory lane. It was dark and cold, and men were surrounding her. She remembered falling and hitting her head, and then, the coolness of the air on her naked skin.  
"Yae!" Kohaku said louder.  
"Oh!" Yae snapped back before the dark, hazy memory could finish. "I just...remembered something...sort of."  
Kohaku looked surprised. "Really? What did you remember?"  
Yae stood up and sheathed her katana and scratched her head. "I fell and hurt my head. People were laughing at me, too...I think." She didn't want to say that it was men who laughing. It might bring up a conversation she didn't want to have.  
Kohaku crossed her arms. "Weird. Perhaps it's nothing to worry about. C'mon, let's see how the others are doing."

When the brothers and Kohaku and Yae returned, they were surprised by the huge machine that Senku, Chrome, Kaseki and even some of the villagers had built.  
"It's the air-blowing machine for building fires!" Chrome said excitedly.  
"This is the hardest work we had to do in exchange for ramen." Said Ganen, the chubbiest one in the village.  
"The hellish iron-making it finally mechanized!" Even Asagiri was excited to boast about it.  
"Hooray for energy!" Everyone cheered.  
Senku heard the commotion and picked his ear. "This doesn't mean you can slack off." He told them.  
And now that the hard part was over, Kokuyo came over. "And now the non-fighters can focus on preparing for the winter." It would seem he was more excited about it than the others. With the help of Senku's creation of making jars, it was easy enough to store food like fruit, vegetables and even meat for long periods of time.  
"Alright, back to work everyone!" Senku yelled and the villagers dispersed. He looked over at Yae and said. "Yae, all I want for you to do is keep working on your cheese. I have an idea as to what she should make the villagers next once you master the skill." He paused. "And that hawk you found, I think we can put it to good use in terms of sending secret messages."  
Yae smiled. She was more than happy to work on something entirely different from the others. "Right! But before that, can I watch you put the finishing pieces together?"  
Senku grinned. "Of course you can."

With steady hands, Old man Kaseki placed the thin wires inside the glass and molded them together.  
"What's the Spartan crafts club making this time?" Asagiri joined them but then suddenly stopped when he saw what it was.  
"Careful." Said Senku. "This can get up to 2,000 degrees once it's lit. That makes the metal connections melt apart. We're going to use glass as a tiny adhesive."  
Kaseki wiped his forehead from all the hard work. "This is so intricate, it's tough even for me." The glass suddenly broke the moment the wired melted together.  
"Damn it! This is so hard!" Chrome groaned.  
Senku chuckled. "What's the matter? Giving up already?"  
"It's okay, Chrome. I'm sure you'll get it eventually." Yae said in hopes to brighten his mood.  
Kaseki snorted. "I'm not giving up! Although my body did a long time ago."  
"I always know I can count on a craftsman." Senku said and then looked over at Yae. "Why not head back? I'll call for you if anything big happens."  
Yae nodded. "You better. I don't want to miss out on anything, got that?"  
Senku grinned and picked his ear. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Don't worry."

The village was busier than ever. It was the time to harvest and preserve, craft and build. Even Magma and Mantel had stopped with their tom-foolery for the moment and focused their attention on the benefit of the village. And once Yae had finished milking her pet and churning it, she set it to the side to take shape for the next twenty-four hours.  
The hawk squirmed, which grabbed Yae's attention and she fed it more food. It would appear the beautiful winged creature was finally warming up to her, at least enough for her to bandage its injured wing.  
"Senku is right." Yae mumbled to herself. "Once you get better, you can be our spy on Tsukasa and his stupid empire." She giggled and patted the hawk on the head. "If our cell-phones happen to stop working, we can rely on you."  
"Yae!" Ruri came rushing in. "Hurry! Kohaku and I are making wine. Join us!"  
The idea of making wine sounded fun and Yae was quick to join. She laughed when she saw Ruri and Kohaku stomping on grapes and almost falling over.  
"Yae, get in here before there's nothing left to smash!" Kohaku called to her.  
"Okay, okay!" Yae hopped her way over, almost tripping as she tried to take off her sandals. And before getting in, she cleaned her feet, almost missing a spot as she was so excited to get in.

* * *

Soon, another month had gone by and while everyone around them stayed busy, whether it was twisting gold wire, handing out ramen, or carrying around heavy logs, the days mixed together and went by quickly. The trees were changing color and the temperature was slowly dropping each day. And then the leaves began to fall, but even that didn't stop Kohaku from training Ginro, Kinro and Yae.

After their training, Kohaku stopped Yae and let the brothers go on ahead.  
"Can I talk to you for a second, Yae?"  
"Sure. What about?" She sheathed her katana.  
"A while back during one of our training sessions, you looked kind of scared. What was that all about?"  
Yae thought for a moment, trying to remember. "Oh," she said slowly. "That day..."  
Kohaku crossed her arms. "Yeah, that day."  
Yae's face went from serious, to silly and she rubbed her chin. "Yeah, I don't really remember." She lied. This was still something she didn't want to talk about and the look on Kohaku's face told her that she didn't quite believe her.  
"Have you spoke with Senku about it? He is the one helping you get your memories back. Maybe he knows something?"  
Yae shrugged. "I haven't yet."  
"Promise me that you will." Kohaku looked at her seriously.  
"Y-yeah, of course!"  
This time the young lioness smiled. "Good. Now, let's go see what progress the others have made."

"Whoa! The last time we made a light it burnt out instantly! This is so damn cool!" Chrome exclaimed as he held up the light bulb.  
"Hey, you guys finally did it!" Yae said as she and Kohaku walked up.  
"Hey, ladies!" Chrome quickly went back to examining the bulb.  
"Hey, Chrome. What do you do to make things burn fast?" Senku suddenly asked.  
"Huh?" Chrome was confused. Surely Senku knew this. "You give it a ton of air with a blowing machine. Just like we did with the waterwheel, right?"  
"Right. So then what do you do to keep things from burning?" Senku was testing him.  
Chrome had to think about that one but soon came up with the best answer he could think of. "You get rid of the air?"  
"Right. Now, helpe me set this up." He looked over at Yae and Kohaku. "You two are more than welcome to watch."  
"Maybe later." Said Kohaku. "I just wanted to see what you two were up to. Nothing I still don't understand, I see." She looked at Yae suspiciously. "I'll be going, but Yae can keep you two company." She was about to walk off but before she did, she mouthed "Tell him" to Yae, meaning she wanted Yae to tell Senku about the little memory that had sent her into a daze just weeks before.

Yae suppressed a sigh as she watched Senku and Chrome set up their contraption. Senku had told her to stay clear away because he didn't want her to accidentally get slashed with mercury in case he dropped it.  
"We use the hefty weight of the mercury to catch the air as it falls, creating a vacuum."  
Eventually, Suika and Kaseki came back to help out with the rest. Although, Suika watched more than helped, just like Yae. The boys were hard at the work and the girls were too fascinated to bother them, so they stayed back and watched the magic of science unfold.

When they finished, Senku flipped a switch and the light bulb turned on.  
"No matter how hot it gets, if there's no air, it won't burn." Senku explained.  
"And that's how it can last so long before it burns out." Finished Yae.  
Senku nodded. "Exactly!" He crossed his arms, grinning from ear to ear. "Now, we wait until nightfall, that's when the real magic begins!"  
Yae raised a brow, wondering what it was he had planned. But before she could ask him, Suika's tummy growled. "Let's get something to eat." Yae took her hand. "It's close to supper time."  
"Okay!" Suika was happy to head back, holding on to her hand feeling safe.  
When they were out of view, Senku turned to Chrome and Kaseki. "Alright, you guys. We've got one last thing to do before we can rest for the evening. You ready?"

* * *

When nightfall came, Kohaku gathered the villagers together and met up with Senku in the forest. It was close enough to the village that they didn't have to worry about venturing too far out in case someone from Tsukasa's empire of might would strike.  
"Senku, I've brought everyone here." The lioness called out.  
"Okay, hang on. It's almost time."  
At that moment, it began to snow. Everyone looked up and watched as the little white flurries fell upon their heads.  
"Damn, it's snowing." Said Chrome. "Are we calling off the test?" He seemed worried.  
"No, I'd like to do it today." Senku said.  
"We're all set." Kaseki gave him the okay and Senku walked up to the tree.  
"Alright, here we go." Senku flipped a switched and with the seconds that followed, the darkness disappeared instantly. The night sky was illuminated by the wondrous white lights hanging in the giant tree. It was absolutely breathtaking.  
Suika sucked in a breath. "This is amazing. They're like twinkling stars!"  
"Decorative lighting." Said Asagiri. "I feel like I'm back in the modern world."  
"It took two months to get here." Said kaseki.  
_Two months_, thought Yae. _Two months ago we didn't have any of this. I cant imagine what we'll have in the next two months. This is was all possible because of Senku. _Yae could barely contain her joy and a single tear fell down her cheek. It was coming back to her all of a sudden, not all of it, of course, but enough to give her a sense what life was like before the second stone age. She could suddenly smell all the different kinds of holiday treats wafting through the air, people rushing by as decorative lights lit up the busy streets; the sound of cars and people talking filled her brain. And then it was gone, snuffed out like a flame on a candle. The memories stopped and her mind went blank again. She was back in the stone age and the life she had lived before was long gone.  
"We're right on schedule." Said Senku  
Yae brought her attention back to Senku.  
Asagiri gasped. "Hang on, is today Christmas?"  
"Oh yeah, now that you mention it...What a coincidence."  
"You planned this, didn't you, Senku?" Yae asked.  
"Heh, sure." He grinned.  
A suddenly, a small tune started playing on repeat in Yae's head and she started to hum.  
"That...sounds familiar." Said Asagiri.  
Yae looked surprised. "Does it? It just popped into my head." She crossed her arms and rubbed her chin. "I think I remember how the lyrics go."  
"I think the song is called Takeda no Komoriuta."  
Suika tugged on Yae's sleeve. "Will you sing it for us?"  
Yae's face flushed pink, feeling embarrassed. "Right now?"  
Senku smiled. "Come one, Yae, let's here you sing."  
Yae's chest went tight. She had never sung in front of anyone. Soon, all those gathered around begged Yae to sing the lullaby. She cleared her throat. "Alright, here I go."

Mori mo iyagaru, Bon kara saki-nya  
Yuki mo chiratsuku-shi, Ko mo naku-shi

Bon ga kita-tote, Nani ureshi-karo  
Katabira wa nashi, Obi wa nashi

Kono ko you naku, Mori wo ba ijiru  
Mori mo ichi-nichi, Yaseru-yara

Hayo-mo yuki-taya, Kono zaisho koete  
Mukou ni mieru wa, Oya no uchi  
Mukou ni mieru wa, Oya no uchi

(English lyrics)  
I would hate babysitting beyond the Bon festival.  
The snow begins to fall, and the baby cries.

How can I be happy, even when Bon festival is here?  
I don't have nice clothes, I don't have an obi sash to wear.

This child continues to cry, and is mean to me.  
Everyday, I grow thinner.

I would quickly quit here and go back.  
To the other side (of the mountain) I can see, my parent's house.  
To the other side (of the mountain) I can see, my parent's house.

Suika and the others stared at her with a somber look in their eyes. "Wow...That was pretty and sad." She said.  
Kohaku smiled softly. "I like it though." The villagers nodded in agreement.  
"You should sing more often." Suika told her.  
Yae chuckled, the nervousness washing away. "Okay, I'll try."  
However, the villagers could not stay up all night, no matter how badly they wanted to keep staring at the pretty lights. It was all eventually turned off to conserve the energy and everyone returned to their homes.  
"Hang on a second, Yae." Senku called out to her while he pull a few things away and covered them up to keep away from the snow.  
"Yeah, what is it?" By now, everyone had gone back to the village, even Chrome and Kaseki returned to their beds. Yae and Senku were the last to finish picking up.  
"It's Christmas and I have a present for you. When you have time, stop by my place."  
Yae scanned his face closely but could get nothing out of her poker face. "Hmm. Okay. I actually have something I need to talk to you about, so this is perfect."  
Senku raised a brow. "Oh? Well, I look forward to discussing whatever it with you later. See you then."

* * *

Once the village quieted down, and Kohaku had settled in bed, Yae took in a deep breath and said, "I'm going over to Senku's to talk to him."  
Kohaku laid on her side, her head propped up on her hand. "That's good to hear. Don't stay up too late though. We have a ton of work ahead of us still."  
"I won't." Yae slipped on her coat and walked out.

The winter season made everything seem later that what it was. It got darker out sooner, making the days short. No wonder Senku was working them so hard. There was little time to spare throughout the days.  
"Senku?" Yae called out to him before entering. "Oh good, you're still awake." It was nice and warm inside so Yae took off her coat and set it down next to his.  
"Why would I be asleep? I told you I had a present for you, didn't I?"  
Yae shrugged and sat down in front of him where they both enjoyed the comfort of the fire. "You work so hard that maybe you passed out without helping it."  
Senku didn't anything in response to what she said. All he did was reach for a folded piece of cloth. "Turn around." He told her.  
Yae gave him a questioning look but obeyed nonetheless and flopped over on her butt. Senku spread his legs, scooting closer to her so that Yae now sat with his legs on each side of her.  
"Raise your arms."  
"Okay?" Yae wasn't sure what he had planned but she went along with it anyway. She gave out a small gasp when Senku put his hands on her breasts, feeling her up. He massaged her for a good minute before Yae finally said something about it. Sure, it felt nice, but what was he doing? He wasn't making any other kind of move and if he was going to he would have done it by now. "S-Senku, what are you doing?"  
"I'm checking."  
"For what?"  
"Hard lumps."  
"Why?"  
"Cancer."  
"Is that my present?"  
Senku snorted. "What? No." He immediately stopped and reached for the folded piece of cloth. "THIS is your present." He dropped it in Yae's lap.

Curious, Yae unfolded the cloth carefully and slowly and nearly lost her breath when she saw what was inside. "Senku is this..." She was at a loss for words.  
"A condom? Yes."  
Yae held it up pinched between her fingers to get a better look at it. "What is made out of?" She had a pretty good idea what it was but she wanted Senku to tell her.  
"Animal intestine. Don't worry, I cleaned it about ten billion times."  
Yae's eyes grew wide and twisted her body to look back at him. "Are you saying..."  
"Only if you want to."  
"I do." She answered him right away, in which case, senku didn't think she would be up for having sex so fast. "BUT..." She said. "I have to tell you something first. Kohaku has been bugging me about for the last month."  
Senku leaned back, supporting his weight with his arms. "It must be pretty serious then. What is it?"  
Yae took in a deep breath. "It happened while we were training. I was knocked down and shook me up a bit. A memory triggered, but I don't think it was a very good one."  
Senku continued to giver his undivided attention. "Go on."  
She stared him for a long minute as she mentally fought with herself to tell him the truth. "With it being Christmas and all, I remembered being surrounded by a bunch of people walking around the city. The lights were so bright and beautiful. I didn't recognize anyone, but I remember somewhat of what Christmas was like during the modern world."  
When Senku was certain she was finished speaking, he said, "That doesn't sound bad."  
"Like I said, not a good memory to really trigger anything important."  
"I think it's important." He leaned forward now, putting his arms around Yae and resting his chin on her shoulder. "All those tiny memories are building up to something big, I'm sure."  
"You think so?" Yae felt bad for not telling him the complete truth. She wasn't ready yet, and nor did she want to think about it. To think that maybe someone had taken advantage of her...She didn't want to finish that thought.  
"I know so." Senku told her and kissed her cheek.

Senku wasn't the type at all to show affection, but when he was alone with Yae, it was different. He was able to let his guard down in front of her and show a more vulnerable side of himself.  
"Senku, do you think we could have been this close in the modern world if it was still around?"  
Senku didn't answer her right away, he continued to kiss her neck and behind her ear. He start feeling her up again, but not to check for lumps—for pleasure. "I think so." He finally answered her.  
Yae let herself fall back into him, his whole body hot and return, keep her warm too. The young scientist trailed one hand down her stomach, lifted her dress and pressed her fingers against her private, rubbing gently. Yae relaxed a bit more, slowly getting into the moment and Senku worked on arousing her more.  
"Lay down." Senku told her. He had made out his bed to be extra comfy and even had an extra layer of fur than he did the last time.

The fire was just dim enough to keep the lighting perfect and the place warm enough. Senku slipped off Yae's tights, her underwear coming off along with it. She felt a cool air brush past her but Senku was there to send a different kind of shiver down her spine. He massaged her exposed womanhood, enjoying the fact that she was already so wet. He could feel himself hardening, and her open legs had never look so inviting such as this moment. He stopped to take a glance at the condom. He knew that going in raw would feel so much better, but he also knew that risking pregnancy was out of the question. Perhaps some day, when the war with Tsukasa ended, they'd be able to enjoy each other in the same way as Senku knew they both wanted.  
"Are you scared?" He asked her.  
Yae shook her head. "No, I trust you."  
Senku wasn't really scared as much as he was nervous. He was worried about hurting her, or the condom breaking and not pulling out soon enough. It all rested on his shoulders whether or not Yae would end up hurt the most after this night. He had to be extremely careful.  
"Let me know if it hurts." Yae nodded to him and clenched the sides of the fur bed as Senku inserted his finger inside her. He closed his eyes, already imagining being inside her, his dick rubbing up against the walls of her vagina. The pure pleasure it would give excited him by ten billion percent! He then slipped in two fingers, feeling the skin of her vagina stretch some. When she winced in pain, Senku stopped immediately.  
"Was that too much?"  
Yae shook her head. "No, keep going."

Senku worked at her now with both hands. With two fingers still inside her, he took his free hand and continued to massage her clitoris. Yae gasped, her body shuddering in ecstasy as she cam, her juices spilling out into a sticky mess on Senku's fingers. He stopped for a moment and sniffed his hands. He could smell her and for a moment he was tempted to lick her cum off his fingers, but he had a better idea and he got down on his belly to give her head a second time.  
Yae moaned, giving in. It felt too good. Senku's tongue was playing all kinds of tricks on her as she struggled to keep her wits about.  
"Senku..." she said his name as if begging for more.  
Senku wiped his mouth and took off his clothes. He had never been naked in front of another person before, but right now he didn't care. There was no time to be acting shy now. He soon slipped off the rest of Yae's clothes, tossing them to the side.  
"Are you ready?" He asked one last time. Yae nodded. Senku took a breath, he was about to lose his virginity, but he was more worried about Yae than himself. He rubbed his manhood on the lips of her vagina, almost succumbing to his sexual desires. Slowly, but surely, Senku placed the condom on. He tied it at the edge with a thin string to keep it up and then entered Yae, the two of them becoming one. She was tight and he struggled to keep himself from cumming. He wanted to last for Yae's sake, and for him too. He didn't want it to be over so soon.

A few tears shone at the corners of Yae's eyes as the pain of Senku slipping inside hurt her. She knew it would and she was prepared for it, but it still hurt.  
Very slowly Senku moved his hips, thrusting in and out at a pace he thought Yae could keep up. His brain was yelling at him, telling him to go faster—to rip the condom off and go in raw; feel her insides and cum inside her. But he wouldn't do that. Yae was counting on him to be the safe one. He wasn't going to be selfish.

Yae moaned, her knuckles turning white the tighter she gripped the fur. Senku noticed this and grabbed her hands. He placed them above her head and pressed his body against hers. Soon, Yae wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing him harder against her. They're breaths were hot and Senku leaned in to close the gap. He sucked on her lower lip before licking, asking for entrance. Yae gladly gave it to him, letting him massage her tongue with his. Only when they needed to take a breath did Senku pull back. He was concentrating so hard on keeping his movements slow and steady.  
"Please, go faster." Yae whispered.  
This surprised Senku, but he was happy nonetheless to comply with Yae'a wishes. He held himself up with his arms for but a second before moving his hands to her hips. Now that he had a good hold on her he was able to give her what she wanted. He fucked her a little faster now, his eyes fixated on her breasts as they bounced. Beads of sweat trailed down his face, neck, chest and even his back. He could see sweat forming on Yae's tummy as well, her face flushed pink while she bit her lower lips, no doubt focusing on the moment.

_She's so tight, _thought Senku. _How do I keep going? When do I know when it's a good time to stop? Am I hurting her? She isn't saying anything. Am I doing this right? Is she enjoying me as much I'm enjoying her? _Senku pushed the negative thoughts out of his head and allowed himself to fully take In the enjoyment of the moment.

Yae shuddered again and Senku could feel the walls of her womanhood tightening as she was no doubt cumming a second time. Know this, Senku could no longer keeping himself at bay. He gave Yae a few more thrusts, her juices spilling out again, and Senku let himself go. He pulled out just barely in time as his cum filled the condom. A mix of Yae's fluids and also blood covered the outside of the condom. When Senku looked down, the fur was wet and stained with Yae's blood. Of course, Senku knew that women bled their first time having sex, but it didn't help that he still felt bad about it.

With shaky legs, Senku stood and slipped the condom off. He placed it in a bowl with water and washed it off. His hands were shaking too much from cumming and he would clean it more thoroughly tomorrow. Next he took a wet wash cloth and cleaned up Yae. He let her clean her private area herself though. Lastly, he cleaned himself and went back to lay with Yae. It was quiet for a long while and Senku wondered if the sex was terrible for her, so he asked, "How was it for you?"  
Yae turned over on her side and placed a hand on Senku's chest. "It was nice. It was what I was hoping for."  
Senku thought for a moment before blurting something stupid out. "It was what I was hoping for too." He held her close. "Are you going to stay here for the night, or go back to Kohaku's?"  
Yae thought about this. She was still in pain somewhat and her whole body felt weak, but in a good way. "Can I stay here?"  
"Of course you can." Senku was shocked that she even had to ask that.  
"Good." She snuggled closer.  
Senku took the covers and pulled it up over them, and before succumbing to sleep, Senku asked. "Yae, will you sing for me?"  
With heavy eyes, Yae smiled and began humming the same song she had hung earlier that night. Senku held her close and as tight as he could, listening to her sing. She was only half way through by the time Senku drifted off to sleep, but that was okay, because even in his sleep he heard her song in his dreams.

* * *

Early in the morning, Chrome came crashing through Senku's tent.  
"Senku! I've got..." But he stopped himself short, his eyes growing wide and his face burning bright red. "Oh, damn! I'm so sorry!" He bolted, leaving behind a very confused and sleepy Senku.  
Senku rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked down at his side. Yae was still there and she stirred in her sleep. Chrome's outburst hadn't fully awaken her. Now Senku understood why Chrome had run away. He was still naked underneath the covers and Yae was too. He sighed as he knew he would have to do some explaining.

The young scientist quickly dressed, ran his fingers through his hair and then washed out his mouth and splashed his face with some fresh, cool water. By now Yae had opened her eyes and sat up, holding the fur covers close to her chest.  
"Morning." Senku said.  
Yae yawned. "Good morning..." She mumbled, still trying to wake up.  
"Uh, Chrome just walked in." He informed her. It was better to tell her right away rather than wait.  
Yae blinked a few times, trying to find her bearings. She rubbed her tired face. "Oh..."  
"I think he has something really important to tell me. I'll see you out there." Senku left to let Yae change in peace and to explain himself to Chrome.

Chrome was standing right outside with a few others in the area. His friend had his hands stuffed in his coat pockets and aimlessly looking up at the sky rather than making eye-contact with Senku.  
"Hey," said Senku. "Can we talk?"  
"Chrome cleared his throat and tried to look surprised when he looked at Senku, as if he hadn't noticed him standing there. "Yeah, sure."  
Senku lowered his voice an octave. "What you saw this morning, its fine. I don't want you to feel weird about it."  
Chrome laughed nervously. "Yeah, why would that be weird to me. I mean, everyone knows that you're with Yae...the two of you just aren't married." He paused. "Wait, did you marry her in secret?"  
"Uh, no. But you understand what I'm saying, right?" Chrome nodded. "Good. Now, what was it you wanted to tell me? You have a plan for something, right?"  
The light bulb went off in Chrome's head. "Yeah, that's right! With our newly acquired light, we can go deeper into the caves than we ever could with torches!"  
Senku nodded. "Right, with batteries and light-bulbs, we can ten billion times deeper." The others started to gather, and Yae was making her way over too."  
"I bet there are tons of cool rocks deep in the caves!" Chrome said excitedly. "Let's go! We're going to find some awesome mineral resources!" The hyper rocker collector kept going at it. "You may be way ahead of me in science, but when it comes to exploring, I'm ten billion times better than you."  
Yae stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Whoa. What's going on?" Senku quickly filled her in and Yae smiled with the idea of going exploring. "That sounds like fun." She said.  
Chrome jumped in front of Senku. "What do you want? Captain Chrome will get it for you! There's gotta be stuff on the cellphone map that we don't have yet."  
"Oh, you mean the materials we're missing?" He paused. "There's nothing."  
Chrome's mouth dropped. "Nothing?"  
"We have everything we need, I suspect." Said Yae.  
Senku nodded at her. "That's correct. Thanks to our hard work with the past missions."  
Kohaku crossed her arms. "Then is there really a reason to go exploring, when we're so short on people?"  
Yae's shoulder's slumped. She was just as excited as Chrome was about exploring and finding new things. "We don't have to go far..." She pitched the idea.  
"Chrome," said Ginro. "You just want to go exploring because of your new gear, huh?"  
Chrome gulped because that was exactly the reason.  
Senku laughed. "It would be nice to have more copper. We have no idea how much we're going to use during our next crafting session."  
"That's right!" Said Chrome and he soon took of running. "I got this!"  
Yae looked over at Senku, hoping he would say something to Chrome in order to get him to stop acting so hyper and crazy.  
Senku sighed, resting his hands on his hips. "Come home soon. At least by New Year's next week."  
Yae's mouth hung open. "You sure having him run off like that is a good idea."  
Before Senku could answer, Old Man Kaseki spoke up. "So what's this brutal crafting? I'd like to have it done by the time Chrome's back and surprise him."  
"The next-level light bulb." Senku answered.  
Kaseki looked unsure, but he was up for the challenge. "The light bulb was already brutal. This sounds exciting."

The time for crafting again was about to start. Senku went on to explain that they were going to be making computer eggs. They were the gears of electrons, vacuum tubes. And while Kaseki and Asagiri Gen went off with Senku, Kohaku pulled Yae over to the side.  
"I noticed you didn't come back last night. Did you tell Senku?"  
Yae nodded. "I did." She lied again.  
Kohaku breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Because if you didn't, I was going to."  
Yae suppressed the urge to laugh and held her breath for a few seconds to help calm her nerves. "I don't doubt you would have."  
"Look," said Kohaku as she crossed her arms. "You're my friend and I care about you. I want you to regain your memories just as much as Senku. Telling us everything is the right thing to do."  
Yae nodded weakly. She felt bad enough for not telling the whole truth, and now Kohaku was just making it worse.  
Kohaku patted Yae on the shoulder. "I'm glad we both agree. Now, I need to go check on Ginro and Kinro. I'll catch up with you later."  
"Okay." Yae waved her friend goodbye and went back to the tent they shared and checked on the hawk and the cheese. The hawk was nicely nestled in fur blankets and stirred when Yae set more food next to it. She then checked on her cheese, glad that it was ready to be tested. The smell salty and somewhat bitter, but hopefully the taste of it turned out right. Yae was nervous to take a bite, as the last time she did she nearly threw up all over herself.  
"Here goes nothing!" She took a nibble and squeezed her eyes shut, chewing slowly. "Oh..." She opened her eyes and looked down at the cheese in surprise. It was good! She picked up the small box where the remainder of the cheese sat and rushed over to Senku. He was curious to know how it all turned out, saying he had an idea for a new recipe.

When Yae made it over to Senku, he was in the middle of explaining how light bulbs worked.  
"So we put phosphorus on the filament, where it gets hot. It'll burn with heat, suck up all the air around it, and..." The glass broke before he could even finish.  
Kaseki gasped. "I didn't do anything."  
"It cracked at the base." Said little Suika.  
"Looks like the wires are expanding." Said Yae as she finally made her appearance known.  
Senku looked really disappointed but eyed the box of cheese suspiciously. "Is that the cheese?" He asked hopeful.  
Yae nodded. "Indeed! Here, have some."  
Senku picked on a square of cheese and popped it in his mouth. "Wow, it's good."  
The others tried some too. "This is cheese?" asked Suika.  
"I've never tasted anything like it!" Kaseki was certainly impressed.  
"At least something is turning out right today." Senku grumbled.  
"Is your experiment not turning out how you want it to?" Yae asked.  
Senku shook his head. "The metal lines going through the glass expands just a little from the heat of the burning phosphorus. That size difference of just a few microns broke the glass."  
Asagiri's eyes went wide. "That's the level of intricacy we're dealing with? What do we do, then?" The situation they were stuck had left them stumped.

For now, all they could until Chrome returned, was keep trying. By night fall, Senku was still going at it.  
"Nothing ever works on the first try, does it?" Said Kaseki.  
"It's nothing but trial and error. When is it ever anything else?" He looked back at Yae. "This is going to take a while, and I don't want you to get frost bite. Why not head inside for the evening. We can always continue tomorrow."  
"But what about you?" She asked.  
"Don't worry. I won't stay out too much later. There are a few ideas I want to draw out and try those too."  
Yae nodded, heading back to her and Kohaku's tent.

When she returned, the lioness was there feeding the hawk a strip of meat.  
"Nice friend you picked up here."  
Yae knelt down beside her. "Thanks. I found him in the woods a few days ago. He's been sleeping."  
"I noticed." Said Kohaku. "I also went through the trouble of putting clean bandages on him. Looks like the first set was coming undone." The hawk flapped its wings and both girls scooted back as quickly as possible.  
"I guess he's feeling better." Said Yae. "Senku wants to use him as a spy to send letters, or something like that. You know, in case the cellphones don't work, or Tsukasa finds out."  
Kohaku nodded. "That's a good idea. Although, I'm not sure how loyal hawks are. I've never known anyone to have one as a pet." An idea then occurred to her. "Yae! What if, in your past, you worked with animals, and that's why you're so good with them. You seem to have a natural talent of it."  
Yae blushed from embarrassment. "Oh wow! Thank you! But, I don't know. Maybe." She said.  
Kohaku yawned and slipped under her covers. "Let's get some rest. I have a feeling Chrome will come back, and the boys will crazy again with their ideas."  
Yae chuckled. "Yeah, you're probably right." Yae gave her hawk one last strip of meat before heading to be herself. She had wanted to spend the night again with Senku, but he was probably still busy trying to come up with a plan, and she didn't want to disturb him. She sighed, closing her eyes and telling herself that there would be more opportunities spend nights together. Besides that, they didn't really get a chance to talk about what happened that. Yae wanted to know exactly everything that was going through Senku's head when they having sex, and she wanted to tell him what she was thinking too.  
_I may not be a virgin anymore, but I don't feel any different._ She thought. _I'm happy about what happened and I'm glad it was with Senku. What we did feels right..._

That following morning, Chrome did indeed return.  
Yae had just finished eating breakfast and decided to take her hawk out and let it get some fresh air. She wrapped cloth around the sleeve of her coat to keep the claws of the hawk from tearing it, and walked over to Senku and Kaseki.  
"I'm back!" Said Chrome. "And I copped some copper!" He held a giant piece of copper in one hand, looking mighty proud of himself.  
"Oh wow..." Yae was impressed. "Good job, Chrome."  
Chrome eyed the giant hawk up and down. "Whoa..." The hawk flapped its wings, spooking the others. "Is it dangerous?"  
Yae giggled. "No, he's not dangerous."  
"Have you named it yet?" asked Senku.  
"Mmm...nope!"  
"How about Taichi?" Said Kaseki. "It means large one."  
Yae thought about it. "Nah. I'll think of something. I need to make sure he has the right name. Something that really fits him." She looked to Chrome. "So, Chrome. What all did you bring back?"  
Before Chrome had a chance to answer, Senku said, "This is just the right time for that copper." And he snatched it, testing it out on a new device he had made over night.  
"A copper tube?" Asagiri picked it up to look at it.  
"A tube will just expand inward without cracking the glass around it."  
"Finally!" Exclaimed Kaseki. "Making that vacuum tube was really hard work." By now, Kohaku and Suika had shown up to see what all the fuss was about.  
Unfortunately, the wires turned to ash the moment they tested it out.  
"Damn...the bamboo filament burnt out instantly."  
"Not good..." Yae grumbled. "What do we do now? We need something stronger."  
"Let's try a few more times. Maybe that one was just a dud."

After a few tries the same results transpired and soon there was a pile of broken light bulbs on the ground.  
"Damn it!" Said Senku."Bamboo filaments are just fundamentally too weak for vacuum tubes."  
"I don't get the science," started Kohaku, " but bamboo is too weak, is that right?"  
"What do we need?" asked Chrome. "Like Yae said, we need something stronger. I'll go get it, just tell me what it is."  
"No..." Senku said. "There's nothing better in this age..." His voiced trailed off. "Everyone, check Chrome's basket and see if you can find anything useful."  
"These are all the minerals I found laying around the crave." Chrome pulled them all out by the handful. "There must be something in here strong enough to hold up to heat."  
Even Yae was going through the pile, but none looked promising, and it left Senku looking utterly defeated in terms of what to do next.

With one last try for luck, Suika started going to the bottom of the basket and picking out the left-overs. "I'm not a rock doctor like Senku, but I've seen a lot of rocks while playing around the forest and mountains." While she did that, the others decided to take a break. It was a good time to catch on some much needed rest and sleep on the idea of what to do next. Senku couldn't sleep though. This whole thing was frustrating to him.

The young and hopeless feeling scientist stood outside near his tent, thinking, when all of a sudden, Asagiri showed up unannounced.  
"Senku-Senku! Wakey-wakey!" He thought it was amusing. "It's the New year. We should all watch the sunrise together."  
"Sure, what the hell." He went to wake Yae and Kohaku and soon, more of the villagers began to wak up.  
"It's important to have a change of pace and a fresh mindset." Said the mentalist. "That's my line of work, right?" They started making their way out.  
"Wait for me!" Said Suika. The little girl was so tired from staying up most of the night that she was almost left behind.  
"Don't worry." Said Yae. "I would have stopped for you." She took her hand and together they walked.  
"Wait," Said Chrome. "Suika, were you going through the rocks all night?"  
"That's right!"  
"New Year's, huh? Our internal clocks are messed up from the petrification, though." Asagiri said. "I don't even know how old I am anymore."  
Senku yawned. "Think about how many days you've been alive."  
"Why would we remember that?" Kohaku said.  
"What about you, Senku. Do you remember?" Asagiri Gen asked him.  
"6,268 days." He answered right away.  
Yae gaped at him. "You counted?" Not even she had the patience to do that.  
"We're almost there!" Said Rurir, grabbing everyone's attention as they nears the cliff.  
"The sun's rising!" Kokuyo said. They had made it just in time.

At that exact moment, the stone Suika was holding in her hand started to glow.  
"It's glowing blue." Kohaku said, fascinated. "A gemstone."  
"It's so pretty." Said Ruri.  
"Why is it glowing?" asked Chrome.  
"It's called Sheelite." Senku told everyone as he walked up to Suika to get a better look at it. "It glows blue when exposed to ultraviolet light."  
Yae yawned and then said, "Reactions to ultraviolet light are especially visible right before the sun rise...right Senku?"  
Senku nodded. "Correct. Ten billion points for you! So in other words, only right now will it glow blue. Talk about perfect timing."  
"I've never seen anything like it!" Said Chrome.  
"Me neither." Senku was equally excited. "It's an ultra-rare gem. Chrome, Suika, you guys did an incredibly good job. This stuff is used in modern filaments. Tungsten! Heats got nothing on it. It's the strongest metal in the universe!"

That small chunk was not going to be enough, though. They would need to go deeper into the cave and find more. They only had one set of lights, so the team who would venture into the cave would have to be a small group. Senku was definitely going, but not Kohaku, she would have to stay behind and help train the fighters, which also meant that Yae would not be able to go with Senku. So aside from Senku and Chrome, they needed at least one other able body, someone strong.  
Senku pointed. "Magma. Tungsten's tough as hell. We're going to need brute force to collect it. Let's go cave diving!"  
Yae held her tongue. Was bringing Magma along for the trip a good idea? She was trusting Senku to make the right choice, and if Magma was it...she hoped he wasn't miscalculating the man's trust.

**Author's note: Thank you for waiting and not dipping out on me. I have been very very sick for the last two weeks. I'm on medication but even that is taking its sweet time to make me feel better. I can finally stay awake long enough without feeling like I'm going to die. I know I'm behind, but I'm not going to hurry and end up having it potentially suck. This chapter took me three days to write and I'm still not happy with it. It feels rushed to me, but I don't know. What did you all think? Please let me know.  
Take care and stay healthy!**


	18. Chapter eighteen

The morning air was cool and crisp.  
Senku, Chrome and Magma were fully dressed in their get-up and ready to take on cave exploring. Yae wished Senku would let her go, but he wouldn't allow it. At. All.  
Their heated discussion about it the night before played on repeat in Yae's mind.  
"I'm a good fighter, just like Magma. Why won't you let me go?"  
Senku sighed while he was busy packing things. "I know you're a good fighter, that's why you need to stay here. If any of Tsukasa's men come back, you need to be here to help protect the village. Besides, you may be a skilled fighter, but you don't have the brute force that Magma has."  
"But what if you run into trouble? What if one of Tsukasa's men or Tsukasa himself is inside the cave? What will you do then?"  
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, then."  
Yae huffed and crossed her arms. Everything she said, Senku had a valid argument against. Damn him.

And now the young scientist, and newly acquainted lover, was leaving to go exploring in a dangerous cave with a dangerous man. Yae stood there, arms still crossed, staring at Senku. She was sure he could feel her cold stare.  
"Senku, Chrome and Magma?" Kohaku said in disbelief.  
"I don't know about this." Suika said. "It seems kind of dangerous to me."  
"Yeah, are you sure this is a good idea?" Ginro added. "He could be all like, I'm the chief now, Senku, and then attack you or something."  
Senku had nothing in response to what they said though, and hauled the basket up on to his back. "We need to start moving ASAP, all three of us. We're gonna go down there and find the magic stone we need for making vacuum tube filaments."  
Yae nodded. "Yes, yes. Scheelite, which glows blue. With that we can make the most heat resistant metal in the world...Tungsten." The very idea was exciting, but Yae kept her voice at a monotone level, making the subject sound dull and boring. It was all because she was still irritated about not getting to tag along. Everyone could feel the tension between two, but they were all smart enough to not ask.  
To brighten the mood, Chrome said, "And this little nugget is just a taste of what's waiting for us. There's gonna be a while bunch more down there!"  
"I'm counting on you to take us to the cave and lead the expedition, Chrome."  
"No Problem!"

Moments before leaving, Yae spotted Asagiri speaking with Magma. He was whispering something to him and wanted in on it. However, she would wait to corner the mentalist after the three left. Then, and only then, would she force it out of him. If it was about Senku, she wanted—no, she NEEDED to know about it. But perhaps she wouldn't need to do that.  
"It appears we've finally gotten rid of Senku." Asagiri said once the three were well out of hearing range. "Gone without a clue that he's in a surprise for his life."  
"What?" Said Kohaku confused.  
A flicker of light danced across Asagiri's eyes. "We're going to build something magnificent, but I'm going to need to have everyone's help to make it happen." He looked at Yae seriously now. "I'm going to need your help the most, deary."

"A telescope?" Yae said. So that's why the mentalist had a creepy grin on his face. He was planning something for Senku's birthday. "So how do you know when Senku's birthday is? Not even I know that. Come to think of it, he hasn't told me."  
Asagiri smiled. "He hasn't told me either, but I've figured it out through past conversations with him. He dropped little hints without even realizing it, I think."  
"Hey!" Ruri came walking up with some of the villagers behind her. "I have a crew here that would love to help out."  
"Perfect!" Said Asagiri. "Now, let's get to work. Yae, what do we need to do first? I know that you can put lenses in a tube and fashion a telescope, but what else is there?"  
Yae rubbed her chin, thinking. "You'll need a sturdy base, something to hold the lenses in place. without that you can forget about making a telescope." She turned attention to Kaseki. "Hey, grandpa, if I make out a map of detailed drawing for the base, will you make it?"  
"Of course!"

Before they could make the lenses, Yae had to first draw a detailed guide as to how the base would need to be built. They only had a few days to make it before the three would return—if they returned. Even if Magma was to try nothing in terms of getting rid of Senku, the cave was dangerous enough.  
Yae stared down at the half finished drawing as images of Senku falling into a hole or getting bit by some rabid animal came to mind. She shook her head, trying to free herself from the thought, and got back to work while hunched over the table in the laboratory.

Those few days without Senku was almost unbearable. If not for working so hard on Senku's birthday gift, Yae would have for sure lost her mind. She missed him like crazy and wondered how on earth she ever lived without him before.  
_This is it, Senku! My minds made up. I'm finally gonna do it after five long years. I'm telling her how I feel!_  
A voice popped inside Yae's head, but she did not recognize it.  
_Wow. Fascinating. I can't leave the lab right now, but I promise to cheer you on so loud my vocal cords will snap. _  
It was Senku's voice. Of this, Yae was sure about.

Suddenly, Kaseki's voice pulled Yae out from her trance. "Is it ready?" He asked.  
"Oh, Kaseki!" Yae glanced over at him and smiled. She then quickly finished drawing a few lines and handed Kaseki the drawing. "Here you go. I hope that helps."  
Kaseki scanned the drawing. "This will do nicely. Thank you!"  
Yae watched him leave, and soon, she sunk back into her thoughts.  
_Something happened that day 3700 years ago. Something important. What was it?_  
Time was too valuable and short to waste, though, and Yae left the laboratory to help the others.

The village worked endlessly to finish Senku's gift and they had finished just hours before his return. As the sun started to set, Yae waited anxiously for him. She stood by the telescope they had built for him inside the observatory they had tirelessly worked at building. The night air was cool and refreshing and from the distance, Yae spotted two individuals running down the path. However, the bigger fellow was carrying the other. It was then that Yae soon realized who it was. She sucked in a breath. Senku was back, and Magma was hauling ass with him hanging over his shoulder. Chrome was also seen not too far away, trailing behind.  
"Everyone, get ready!" Kohaku said. "Get in your places!"  
Yae stayed where she was. She was both relieved and excited to have Senku back. Besides the telescope, she had another idea in store for him and a small grin played across her face.  
"Ah, you're back_, _Senku. Welcome home." Asagiri greeted him.  
"What is all this?" Senku asked. He was blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back.  
"Don't waste your breath crying out loud." Kohaku told him. "Everyone's working together with Gen."  
"I guess you sneaky bastards finally figured out the hack. All you need to do is hand science and my head over to Tsukasa, and the village is safe. Perfectly logical." He paused. "But don't you dare touch a hair on Yae's head."  
Asagiri chuckled. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but..." He nodded over to Kohaku and the lioness untied the blindfold and his bound hands.  
Yae smiled when she saw the surprised look plastered on Senku's face_. _"Welcome home." She said.  
Senku walked up to the telescope, amazing and baffled at the same time. "You guys made a telescope? No, you made a whole observatory!" He looked into it, testing it out.  
"January fourth...Stone day!" Said Kaseki.  
"Today's your birthday, isn't it, Senku?" Kohaki asked. "We all made this for you."  
Ginro started poking fun at him. "Are you moved, Senku? Huh, huh? Go head, you can cry now. You don't need to hold it in."  
Senku smirked and checked out the telescope again. "Good job, everyone. This is extremely practical. Now we can use this to spy on Tsukasa."  
That was not the reaction people were hoping for. Still, they could see that Senku was thrilled about his gift. "Yeah, I guess that's true." Kohaku said to him.  
"You're feedback is as rational as ever." Said Asagiri.  
"I'm glad you like it so much, Senku." Yae smiled.  
Senku gave the telescope a good pat. "I'm not one to bring up my own birthday, so how did you know it was today?"  
"You dropped hints about it in previous conversations."  
"Ah," said Senku. "You bated me with that question. Besides, it would be impossible for you to figure it out if you didn't know when I revived."  
"Do you not remember marking the day you woke up on that tree? I saw that right by the entrance to the miracle cave. It was probably the first thing you did, and from that day forward I've had a level of respect for you. You could say I'm a big fan no matter what side we're on. And I'm not the only one. The whole village agrees. You might think that's kind of lame to say though."  
Senku grinned. "Yeah, just a little bit."

Later that night, once Senku had finished playing around with his new gift, and the village had gone to sleep, he returned to his tent. Yae was there, and so were a few of her belongings.  
"Oh, you're finally back."  
"Yeah, it's good to be back. I'm totally exhausted though." He threw off his coat and flopped down on his bed.  
Yae scooched closer to him. "I have a gift for you."  
"Oh?"  
"But, if you're tired, I can wait to give it to you."  
Senku propped himself up on his elbows. "No, I want to see it."  
Yae's eyes shifted to one side. "That's the thing. I haven't made it."  
Senku raised a brow. "Okay...?"  
Yae looked nervously at him. "It involves you physically. I can't do it otherwise." They stared at each other in awkward silence before Yae spoke up again. "Please close your eyes."  
Trusting her, Senku closed his eyes. He was tempted to take a look when she gently pushed him down, forcing him lay back. The crackling of the fire and her hands moving across his body was the only thing making any amount of sounds. Even the night was seemingly quiet.

Only when Yae touched the most sensitive part of Senku did he finally open his eyes.  
"Hey, I said close your eyes." But it was too late, he already knew what she was up to.  
"Yae?"  
Yae pouted. "I wanted this to be a surprise."  
"Oh, trust me. I'm surprised." He told her as Yae lifted the ends of his clothes and grabbed his undergarments.  
This was new to Yae, so she was unsure if she was going about it the right way. "Do you want to stop?" she asked him.  
"No!" Senku said quickly. "Uh...keep going."  
Yae was relieved to hear this and gave him a shy smile. "Okay." She started to stroke him manhood and massage him balls. She watched his penis grow to it's full length and blushed when she saw it. She had never gotten a good view of Senku until tonight.

With every stroke, Yae could feel Senku's penis pulsating; veins popped out and at the very tip it was wet. Yae suspected that was his precum and she was curious to know what it tasted like. She moved in slowly, still unsure of herself, and licked the tip. A soft moan escaped from Senku and Yae took that as a yes to keep going. She closed her mouth around the top of his circumcised head and sucked at it.  
Senku put a hand on her head and pushed down gently, begging her to go deeper. He wanted to feel himself locked around the inside of her mouth. He took great pride in knowing that.

Senku let her do what she pleased—let her experiment with him and have fun.  
_What a great way to end the night. _Thought Senku.  
Life couldn't get much better than this. With a beautiful girl at his side and a whole village who believed in him, it was the best birthday gift ever.  
Yae gagged a bit as she went a little too deep, his head hitting the back of her throat. But she pulled through and kept going. It was a different sensation for her to have complete control over him. Who knew that a woman could hold that kind of power over a man? She liked it.  
She liked that he had fully given into her, and trusted her.  
Senku moaned again, his breathing somewhat heavy. "Yae..."

Finally, Senku could not longer hold himself back and cam inside her mouth.  
Yae paused for a moment, surprised and shocked as she had no idea what to expect. Slowly, but surely, she swallowed.  
"D-did you swallow it?" Senku asked. He was thrilled about it.  
Yae lifted her head and nodded. They both laughed a little. "How was it?" Yae asked as she cuddled next him.  
"That was perfect. You get ten billion points for that." He wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you."  
"I do these things for you because I love you, Senku." She told him.  
Senku looked at her, eyes wide. He was extremely overjoyed to hear this, but he had paused to long in response to what she said.  
"You love me too, right?"  
Senku was not one to go around telling people he loved them, even his own father. Sure, he had said when he was child, but as he grew older, that sort of thing just didn't fit his personality. And just as he was about to respond, Yae's pet hawk made its way inside. It flapped its wings wildly before settling down and making a nest out of Senku's coat.  
"He must like your smell." Yae said.  
Senku nodded. "I guess so." He wasn't off the hook just yet though as Yae looked at him seriously.  
"Senku..."  
The young scientist suppressed a sigh. It took a lot for him to say those three little words. "I do love you, Yae." He hoped she didn't expect him to say it every day now. It just wasn't like him. Besides, he showed his affection towards her in other ways, like making the village stronger and safer and holding her at night and making her feel good. That was his way of saying he loved her. He didn't think words were necessary when actions did a better job at confirming those feelings.

Yae nuzzled her face against his chest. "Senku, do you remember the day we all turned to stone?"  
"I do."  
She paused for a second. "I think I was there with you when it happened. I remember how or why, but I was hoping you would."  
Senku thought for a moment. "We had chemistry together, and it was shortly after class that it happened. What else do you remember?"  
Yae thought back to that unfamiliar voice. "There was a conversation going on between you and another. Something about telling someone how they felt."  
"Ah," said Senku. "Taiju. That big oaf."  
"Taiju, huh? So that's what he sounds like."  
"Annoying, huh?" Senku grinned.  
Yae giggled. "You're so mean."  
Senku didn't care though; he was too tired. "Let's get some sleep." He yawned. "Maybe you'll remember more in the morning."  
Yae nodded. "Yeah, let's hope."

With her memories still scattered, hope was all she had.


	19. Chapter nineteen

Another evening was spent looking through the telescope. It wasn't just Senku who benefited from such amazing piece of work, but for everyone in the village.  
"The suns coming up really soon, you guys!" Suika called from the top of her lungs so everyone could hear her.  
"Careful not to look at it through the telescope." Senku reminded her.  
"It's bad for your eyes." Yae added. She looked over at Senku, the things they had did the night before made her blush a tiny bit.  
"If those are the right type of stones, they should start to glow." Kohaku brought her attention to the stone the three others had collected.  
And with another minute, the stones inside the basket started glow a soft, pretty blue.  
"Oh, wow. It looks like a mountain of jewels." Ruri could hardly believe her eyes.  
"Yeah," said Senku. "Of course it does because it is a mountain of jewels." He chuckled. "And this treasure hoard here as our ultra rare metal inside it."  
Magma laughed at this. "Call them whatever you want. They're just heavy rocks to me."  
Yae shot him a look. "Yeah, to you maybe."  
Magma ignored her stare. "I hope they're worth the fuss."  
"They're definitely worth it when they help us beat Tsukasa." Asagiri said. He shivered a bit from the cold, or perhaps it was the mere thought of fighting Tsukasa that made him quiver.  
The former chief was beside himself with disbelief. "This will help us win the battle?" He walked up to the basket to examine the stones. "I get it; they're weapons. They have enough weight to them to really hurt somebody."  
Asagiri, Senku and Yae's mouth dropped. They couldn't believe what they had just heard.  
"Sorry, father, but I don't think that's what they're going to be used for." Ruri said.  
Kohaku crossed her arms and looked at her sister doubtfully. "Cut them some slack. The older generation doesn't understand."  
"Look," said Asagiri, grabbing everyone's attention. "We're going up against Tsukasa's army, which going to be crazy. But if we stick to the plane and make cell-phones with these rocks, we'll have a massive advantage."  
Kohaku huffed. "Yeah, I know, but how much longer is it going to take to make these cell-phones?"  
"That's a good question." Ginro said, finally making his thoughts known. "Because once spring comes, their army is going to storm the village."  
Senku shrugged. "Eh, we're not far from our goal."  
"You wanna explain that more simply to them?" Yae suggested.  
Senku cleared his throat. "The vacuum tube is the heart of the cell-phone, plastics the skeleton, the microphone is the vocal cord, and the cold wire is the veins. All we have to do is put those four parts together and we'll have ourselves a cell-phone."  
"This is so exciting!" Yae bobbed up and down on her toes.  
Senku smirked at her. "It's been a marathon of a science project, but we're getting close to the finish line. And now it's times to make our final sprint to the end!"  
"Buuuuut..." Said Yae; she gestured her hands to have Senku explain more.  
Senku nodded to her. "First things first, we have to make filaments, which are essential to vacuum tubes." He held the stone up to better examine it. "Tungsten is the most heat resistant in the known universe waiting inside this blue light."  
"Here's another question," Kohaku said, "how are we going to get it our of the stone?"  
Senku looked over at Yae. "Do you want to tell them, if you can remember?"  
Yae shrugged sadly. "Not really. At least not step by step."  
"That's okay." He said to her.

All of a sudden, Magma and mantel started beating the tungsten, bashing it to a powdery material.  
Chrome practically screamed. "What the hell are you doing? Are you fucking crazy?"  
"What?" Magma said without little care. "We're gettin' this stuff out of these rocks, man. If we smash them up first, it'll be easy."  
Yae looked at them horrified. "Uh, slow down you two."  
Senku picked at his ear. Although he looked less than satisfied, his following words brought some calm to the situation. "That totally works for me. We have to turn it to powder anyway."  
Magma looked proud of himself. "You guys hear that? What did I tell ya?"  
"Wait, you didn't know that!" Ginro yelled at the brute.  
Kohaku joined in. "If you were wrong, you'd have to go through all that trouble again." Magma didn't seem to hear her though, and went back to pounding.  
"Well this is strange." Said Kokuyo taking a spot near Senku. "This isn't like Magma at all. I've never seen him offer to help before. Did something happen down in that cave?"  
Yae looked over at Senku, curious now. He had told her little about their little adventure down under. In fact, he had barely spoken a whisper about it. However, if it was something truly serious, surely Senku would have said something about it by now.  
"Yeah, I wonder what it was." It was all Senku had to say about the matter.

The following day everybody set out to work. The powder from the tungsten was neatly kept in a single bag and covered when not in use.  
"I use my chemistry skills on this powdered rock, and when I'm finished with it, it should have a similar consistency to toothpaste."  
Yae put her hands in it. It felt nice and she was excited to finally make something out of it. She smiled up at Senku as she let the powder slip through her fingers.  
"Oh, right," said Asagiri, "more fun chemistry stuff. It never does me any good to ask questions about it."  
Yae raised a brow and smirked. "Does this bore you, Asagiri Gen? Perhaps we can blow something up. Would that be more fun?"  
Asagiri waved a dismissive hand. "Nah, making cell-phones is fun enough for me."  
"And then," Senku said, bringing the topic back up to speed. "We're gonna treat the toothpaste with hydrogen by warming it up in a glass container to get rid of any rust, and we're done."  
"But remember, the temperature has to reach a thousand degrees." Yae said.  
"Exactly. And the hotter we make it the stronger it will turn out." Senku and Yae both smiled at each, happy to be working on their science project.  
Asagiri sighed but refrained from rolling his eyes. Seeing the two love-birds get excited over a hunk of stone was something the young mentalist had failed to ever learn or understand. Still, he was glad to be making progress. The sooner they finished, the better.  
Hearing all this got the blood in old man Kaseki's veins boiling. "We can throw all of that in the furnace."  
"It's nice to get an easy step once in awhile." Chrome patted the furnace, pumped to start their new project.  
Senku raised a brow. "Have you two lost your minds? Think what would happen if you threw a glass container in a thousand degree fire." It finally dawned on the two and Senku further explained himself. "We have to make sure that only the tungsten inside the container is getting hot."  
Kaseki nodded to this. "So then we'll have to pin-point the heat to one spot. But how?"  
"That's a good question." Said Yae. "Senku, any thoughts?"  
"First off, we'll have to split up the work. Time is short. Yae and I can handle all the toothpaste chemistry stuff."  
"Wait," said Chrome, suddenly nervous. "Then whose going to figure out the pin-point heating mechanism? We don't have another scientist."  
Yae hid a grin behind her hand and Senku rested his hands on his hips, smirking. "C'mon," he said. "You know everything you need to make that happen. You've gotta throw all the science tricks you learned at it." Chrome was beside himself with shock. He was a scientist! "Or do you need professor Senku to come and hold your hands?" He teased.  
Chrome smirked. "Are you kidding me with that? Don't make me laugh. I'm Chrome, you know? And I'm smarter than hell! I'm a scientist!"  
"That's the spirit!" Yae cheered for him.  
"If you two need help in that laboratory, don't come crying to me."  
Senku laughed. "You let us handle that and don't worry about it. You're gonna have your hands full, not us."

Suddenly, Old man Kaseki chuckled sadly.  
"What's the matter, Kaseki?" Yae asked.  
"See you three work together like this has got me thinking how much I'd like to have a crafting buddy of my own."  
Chrome cocked his head to the side and said, "But you're not crafting things on your own anymore, are you? You have crafting buddies."  
Kaseki's bushy brows raised a few milometers. "Oh, I do? And whose that?"  
Chrome gestured toward all of them. "All three of us."  
"Really?" Kaseki almost seemed unsure. "Even though I'm almost fifty years older than you?"  
"Of course. Why should age matter at all?"  
Yae second this idea. "Yeah, who cares, Kaseki?" She smiled and turned to walk with Senku.  
The moment was touching indeed. In fact, it brought Kaseki to tears, but only for a short while before he ripped off his shirt and rushed right into work with the furnace.  
"What the hell?" Senku was oddly surprised by the old man's sudden burst of energy.  
"I gotta say," Asagiri said after many minutes of standing by and watching the touchy scene unfold. "He is really into it."  
Senku interrupted him thought when he grabbed him by the back of the coat. "Alright, Modern Man, you're coming with us. I bet you know a little more chemistry than the villagers."  
Asagiri laughed nervously. "I'm not so sure."  
Yae walked beside, grinning. Sure, the mentalist may have been little help, but three brains was better than two. Plus, Asagiri usually seemed to have strangely good ideas, and was smarter than he led on. He did figure out Senku's birthday, after all.

Poor Asagiri Gen stood patiently while Senku went through the steps, but he tried to make as simple as possible.  
"Cook the blue gem powder in the sodium hydroxide; use sea shells, hydrochloric acid, and ammonia to crystallize it. Next, you bake it and mix it with honey."  
A sweat drop slipped from Asagiri's temple. "Okay! I understand, Senku. Honey! And then bake it, and then more honey!"  
"You sure you got all that?" Yae asked.  
Asagiri chuckled nervously. "Sure!"  
Senku picked at his ear and sighed. "Chrome is more useful than you."  
"Nah," came Asagiri's remark. "I don't think anyone could have kept up with those steps...unless they're someone like you or Yae. You two are the only ones who get it."  
Yae chuckled at this. "I suppose so. By the way, Senku, should we check on the others and see how their doing?"  
Senku shrugged. "They'll be fine. Besides, if I'm there hovering all the time, they'll always expect it. I'm trying to break that habit." He looked about the laboratory. "You've got this, right Asagiri?"  
"Sure think, Senku."  
"Great. Now let's work. Time to get excited!"

Yae had ended up leaving Senku and Asagiri to their own devices after the sun went down. She had her pets to check on and she need to clean and sharped her katana. That following morning, Yae had woken early enough many of the villagers were still asleep. However, Chrome and the others were still hard at work. They took turns working on the strange contraption they had built. Strange was a nice way of putting it. Yae could only imagine what Senku would think of it, and as she hurried over to the laboratory, half expecting to find the two guys passed out a drained from all energy. Although they had worked all night, no doubt, Senku however, was still surprisingly full of energy, while Asagiri on the other hand, well, not so much.  
"Senku! What did you do to poor Asagiri Gen?"  
"Look, Yae! Tungsten toothpaste!" There were dark circles under eyes. Perhaps he was more tired than he led on. Plus, he totally dodged her question about Asagiri.  
"Help me, Yae..." Asagiri's voice squeaked.  
Yae was unsure what to do, so she pulled out a small skin flask full of cool water and handed it to him. The young mentalist took the flask with greedy hands and chugged away.  
Senku soon grabbed Yae's hand and pulled her along. "C'mon, let's go check on the others!" He didn't give her time to respond, though, and left behind poor Asagiri.

"Hey, heating team. How are things on your side?" Senku still had the bowl of tungsten toothpaste in his hands.  
"We're just about done." Chrome wiped his forehead.  
Senku was surprised to hear this. "Not bad, science user." He then gasped as he took a look at what they had been working with.  
Yae chuckled nervously as she had already seen it whilst on her way over. She didn't think it was that bad, but the look on Senku's face suggested otherwise.  
"What the hell is this? All-of-the-above mega set?" Senku shouted.  
Yae nudged Senku with her elbow. "Oh, come on, Senku. It's not that bad."  
In Chrome's defense, he said, "Senku, you were the one who said to throw everything at it."  
"This is what I meant."  
Yae laughed again. "Maybe you should have let me help them."  
Senku groaned hearing this. "This things ugly as hell." He paused. "Honestly, though, this might be the best solution." This surprised Chrome. He wasn't expecting that response. "If the goal is for all of us to join together to raise the temperature, we're going to have to make a long, thin blob of tungsten toothpaste. Zap water with electricity, and it'll produce hydrogen. That hydrogen with a lot of heat, peels the rust off the toothpaste."  
"Here we go!" Said Chrome excitedly. "Pin-point heating!"  
"To several thousand degrees!" Everyone chimed in.

The Kingdom of Science slaved away again to produce enough heat. Eventually, the villagers came to watch, and they too, were excited to see the experiment come to life. And finally, with the help of everyone, a tungsten filament was acquired!  
"Alright! We're on our final sprint to making our cell-phones!" Chrome was so excited he could barely stay still in one place.  
"Let's get it done one step at a time, shall we?" Kaseki rolled up his sleeves, ready to take more challenges. "Let's build that vacuum tube!"  
Senku pulled out a piece of parchment and unrolled it to take a look at what they would need to do next. "We'll need to complete some complicated glass-work before we can finish." He raised a brow and looked at Kaseki. "Think you can handle that?"  
"Oh, please. Who do you think you're talking to? I've made plenty of challenging glass-work for you already. It'll take more than that to scare me." He pulled down on the parchment. "C'mon, show me." His face was blank for a moment, but as soon as he realized just how much effort and heating it would take, his eyes grew wide, bushy brows fully up. Old man Kaseki was at a lost for words.  
"It's called a Hickman pump." Senku told him. "It's vacuum action is off the charts!" Yae snorted a laugh, but Senku went on. "A level ten billion vacuum pump."  
"You sound like a vacuum cleaner commercial." Asagiri popped in. This made Yae laugh more and she high-fived the mentalist.  
"Vacuum tubes are made to remove as much air as possible." Senku never lost a beat and he completely ignored Yae and Asagiri goofing off. "The prototype we built before was for simple things, like light-bulbs for example. If we used that it wouldn't give us enough power."  
"Where do I even begin?" Kaseki was stilling ogling over the drawing. "Is this even humanly possible?"  
A grin spread across Asagiri's face and he walked up to Kaseki right away. "In our age, only the super talented craftsmen built Hickman pumps. Then again it was a different age, so don't feel too bad, Old man Kaseki. It'll probably never work."  
Chrome leaned in and whispered to Senku. "Is that true?"  
Senku nodded. "Yeah. It's true, but why would a mentalist know that?"  
Yae leaned in further and whispered to Chrome. "He's just saying all that stuff to get Kaseki fired up."  
"Exactly." Said Senku in agreement.  
Kaseki grumble. "I'm fine. I don't need your mental care. It's the complicated stuff that really gets me going, anyway. In exchange, though, I want to do that thing you did with Chrome the other day." He paused. "You know...as crafting buddies."  
Senku smirked. He seemed delighted to hear Kaseki say that, and they gave each other a high-five.  
"Alright!" Kaseki was super excited now.  
"You can handle the vacuu, tube, Kaseki."  
"Gotcha!" And he ran off to get started.

By this time Ginro had showed up. "Hey, Senku...I just noticed something." Yae eyed him suspiciously. "Old man Kaseki is acting like a kid and all, but he's actually trying to lighten your burden a little.  
Yae was relieved to hear that it wasn't about girls. She sighed. "Doesn't he know he can take a break once in a while? I swear, he works way too hard."  
Before Ginro could say more, Suika nervously walked up to Senku with a few other children behind her. "S-Senku. Is there anything we kids can do?"  
"Yeah." Senku smiled warmly at her. "Suika, you guys can handle the wire."  
"Yay! Come on you guys!" She and her friends ran off to get started on just that. "We're members of the Kingdom of Science too!"  
Yae chuckled. "Wow, Senku. You have some devoted fans."  
Just as Senku and Yae were ready to head back to the laboratory, Furo, Yae's goat was seen getting loose from her pin and running in to the woods.  
"Ah! No, Furo, get back here!" She looked frantically back at Senku.  
He sighed, but he also smiled. "Go ahead. Myself and the others can get started on making the plastic. Just come back as soon as you can."  
"I will!" Yae ran off, bound and determined to retrieve her pet goat.

"Furo, come back!" Yae yelled. "Since when did you become such a sneaky little shit?" She was almost caught up with the goat. "Stop! You're going to hurt yourself." Just then, Yae tripped over a tree trunk that had been hidden beneath the snow. She mumbled and cursed. "Oh, just great." She stood up as fast as she could and brushed the snow off.  
"Looking for this?" It was Homura, and she had a hold of Furo. "You should learn to watch your belongings a bit more carefully."  
Yae narrowed her eyes and snapped her fingers. Furo came to her side immediately.  
"Don't think about doing anything stupid." She eyed Yae's hand on the hilt of her katana.  
"How long are you going to watch us? Don't you ever get bored?"  
"As long as it takes." Homura said, her voice remaining monotone and her face expressionless. "You better get back to your village." She looked up at the sky. "It's going to get colder very soon."  
Yae scoffed. "You stay away from us—you stay away from Senku, or I'll kill you."  
"Now you sound like Tsukasa."  
Yae urked with anger and she clenched her fists. "I am nothing like that madman."  
Homura said nothing and turned her back, ignoring Yae.

When Yae returned, a cool wind suddenly picked up and just as Homura said, it had definitely gotten colder. The children and even some of the elderly, were sitting in a corner stringing up wire. There was talk about people dying last year from the cold and a chill ran down Yae's spine.  
Yae looked to her side and noticed Senku and Chrome standing there. They too had overheard.  
Once Yae put Furo back in her pin, she and Senku gathered the others for a short meeting.  
"I have another job for you guys. We're gonna need a shit tone of coal. You up for the job?" Said Senku. He was mainly eyeing Ginro and Kinro.  
Ginro knew what was probably about to come next and he tried to sneak away.  
"Hey, Ginro." Kinro stopped him dead in his tracks. "Where do you think you're going?"  
"Oh, you know, I have to train, too. Plus, I already work as a guard to protect the village."  
"What are you talking about?" said Kinro. "Senku's word is law."  
"Noooo! This isn't fair!  
"Rules are rules." Kinro simply said, and he dragged his brother behind him with, Magma, Chrome and Kohaku right there with him.

With the next following days, small stoves were set up in each hut. They acted as heaters as well, giving off more heat and much safer than starting a fire.  
"All we need now are the ashes from the coal." Said Senku. Their little project was nearly done. "But your more than welcome to sit by the fire." He told them whilst on top of the roof and inspecting the pipe for good measure. And while everyone else walked off, Yae climbed on top and joined him. The view was nice.  
"You don't have to stand out here with me. Go inside and get warmed up."  
Yae shook her head. "Nah. I want to be here with you."  
Senku scratched the back of his head. "Ah, you know I can't stand that wishy-washy crap."  
Yae chuckled. "I'm not trying to get all sweet with you. I'm just being honest." She paused, and then said, "Senku, Sir."  
Senku sat down next to her. "Fine, have it your way." He grinned at her.

Not long after, Kokuyo found them. "I'm impressed, Senku. "I realize that the things you're making are for a completely separate goal." Yae and Senku turned to give the former chief their full attention. "Our little village is slowly becoming a better place to live."  
"That true. That's how science works." Said Senku.  
Yae smiled. "It's just that simple, Kokuyo." When Kokuyo walked away, Yae looked up at Senku. "It's getting late. Maybe we should check on the others."  
Senku nodded. "Good idea." The two helped each other down; some ice had formed at the edge of the hut. "Careful," said Senku. "It's slippery there."  
"Okay." But Yae slipped anyway and toppled over Senku. The poor scientist landed on his back with Yae sitting on top of him. "Oh, no! I'm sorry!"  
Senku groaned. "No, it's fine, just...get off me, please." He then added under his breath. "You can sit on me later."  
"What was that?" Yae hopped to her feet.  
"Nothing. Let's go."

The two walked over to where Kaseki and Asagiri were standing.  
"Hold on," said Asagiri. "We're using batteries to finish the vacuum tubes?" He hadn't yet noticed and Yae and Senku walking up.  
"All the instructions are there." Senku picked his ear. Asagiri turned around to look at him. "We'll use the manganese we got in the caves.  
Asagiri looked none too happy about this. "Let me guess: you want me to make them, right?"  
"It wont be too difficult." Yae assured him. "Everything is set up in the hut and waiting for you."  
"I'm flattered..."  
"Oh, and by the way," said Senku. "We'll need about eight-hundred of them."  
Yae's eyes went wide. "That many? Oh shit. I'll come help you, Asagiri."  
"Hey, yeah, that's perfect." Said Senku. "It'll go by faster that way. Good idea."  
"I'll help too!" Ruri was passing by when she heard the commotion and of course Senku wasn't going to tell her no.

While working on the batteries, Ruri asked. "Hey, Yae, I've been meaning to ask..."  
"Hmm?"  
"Senku obviously likes you, I mean, you two share the same place together." Her cheeks became a little red. "Do you and Senku plan to start a family?"  
Asagiri, who was stuck in the middle, choked on air. "I think I'm not meant to hear this..."  
Yae's face went as red as a tomato. "N-no. Not right now. Senku and I could never bring a child into this world with things as they are—I mean, with Tsukasa and all."  
Ruri nodded. "Of course. How silly of me. Well, I hope that some day you do."  
Yae chuckled nervously and then asked. "And what about you, Ruri? Do you plan on having children?"  
Ruri was pleasantly surprised to hear this. "I'm not sure. Whatever happens, will happen."  
The three of them then remained working in silence for the rest of the evening.  
_Kids? _Thought Yae._ That's something that would take Senku a billion years to think about._

The next morning, once everything was set up, it was time to test out their new experiment project.  
"Oh yeah!" Shouted Chrome. The set up might not have been perfect, but they had everything they needed. Now they just need to turn it on and test it out.  
"It's a good thing we were able to pull this off before spring came." Senku put his hand on the lever and twisted it. A spark of electricity flew up within mere seconds. "Our final battle is coming soon. We're up against Tsukasa, so get ready everyone."  
"And of course," added Yae. "Get excited!" They said in unison.

**Author's note: Sorry for the wait. I haven't felt very motivated lately.**


	20. Chapter twenty

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the cell-phone!"  
Yae was practically shaking with excitement. She hoped it worked. "Our baby is born!" Asagiri and Chrome chuckled at that.  
With that said, Senku pulled the lever, a spark of electricity coming to life. Everyone cheered, celebrating the fruits of all their hard labor. "YEAH!"  
Ruri smiled. "Our voices are going to travel across the sky and far into the distance."  
Suika stood on her tippy-toes to get a better look. "That's so strange."  
Kohaku nodded. "It's so great that we'll be able to send our voices over long distances. But how are we going to hear them?" She looked over at Senku and Yae.  
Senku's eyes went wide and Yae noticed him panic. "What's the matter?"  
"Oh shit...looks like we'll need to make another one. Whoops!" He scratched his head.  
Yae face-palmed herself. "Of course...duh."  
Everyone else just about fell over themselves. More work?! How cruel. However, Asagiri Gen seemed less than impressed with the idea. "You kept quiet about that on purpose, didn't you?" He looked over at Yae. "And what about you, Deary?"  
Yae smoothed out her braid and chuckled nervously. "Actually, I was so excited about making this one that I totally spaced the fact that we would need two." After she said, Yae swore she saw a little bit of Asagiri's soul escape from his mouth.

As Senku rolled out the cable wire across the bridge, Yae walked with him, making sure nothing would snag or tug and helped keep the wire nice and straight.  
"We don't need another one to make it work as a cell-phone." Senku told her. "But if we run a long cable, it should work as a phone."  
"You mean, like one of those walkie-talkies?"  
"Yeah, Kind of."  
Once they reached the village and set the cable wire up on the other side in Ruri's hut, it was time to flip the switch and see if this baby worked.  
"Are you guys ready for something awesome?" Senku said to everyone in the room and they nodded with anticipation.  
"Ruri..." Chrome's voice popped out from other side, slightly echoing. Ruri gasped, her eyes wide. "Did you see that, Ruri? Pretty awesome, right? SCIENCE IS INSANE!" His voice boomed, sending shivers down the villagers spines as they neared the microphone.  
Yae kept her eyes on Ruri, a small smile played across her face. Her young priestess friend was blushing. Was it because Senku's phone, or because of Chrome?

Everyone started talking at once, asking how it all worked and if making another one was possible.  
"I'm shocked." Said Jasper. "That was definitely Chrome's voice."  
Kokuyo was in disbelief. "I don't get it. How can something so tiny speak?"  
"It's almost like a speaker." Ruri said.  
"Almost?" Senku repeated. "It literally is a speaker."  
"Amazing what science can do, huh?" Yae gently patted Ruri on the shoulder. "Microphones and speakers just convert between sound and electricity."  
"Yeah, they're the same..." Senku stopped in mid-sentence.  
"What's the matter, Senku?" Yae asked.  
"Ruri...Did you just say speaker?"  
It finally dawned on Yae too. "Oooh!"  
"Bees! Bees!" Said some of the kids.  
Asagiri was once again confused. "Huh? Speakers are bees?"  
Ruri tried to explain herself better. "Um...I mean, aren't speakers a kind of bee?"  
"How did that happen?" Senku asked her.  
"It was in the Hundred Tales." Ruri replied simply.  
"That's how it was passed down?" Asagiri asked.  
"Yes. In tale 14, the Hundred Tales, there's a talkative bee named Speaker. When it poked gravestones with its needle, it could speak the voices of the dead."  
"Speakers?" Senku was deep in thought again. "Needles on gravestones...Voices of the dead. That story isn't transferring any kind of knowledge."  
Yae scratched her head. "I'm not sure I get it."  
"Talk about suspicious." Said Asagiri. "It's using the word "speaker" to try to communicate something only to modern humans. And it's tale number 14."  
Yae's eyes went wide. "One and four..."  
"Or "I" and "shi"... as in "ishi."  
"Stone..." Yae said softly. "Senku...your birthday."  
Senku gasped, hardly able to believe it. Was it really true? "My old man's gravestone."  
"The cemetery!" Yae said quickly.

Senku and Yae gathered Kohaku, Chrome and some of the others to Byakuya's gravestone. They were short of breath from running the whole way there, never stopping or slowing down. When they reached, Senku wasted little time and started pulling at the gravestone.  
"What are you doing, Senku? That's sacrilege!" Kinro yelled at him.  
"Is there something on the gravestone, Senku?" Chrome asked.  
Senku chuckled. "I should have noticed a lot sooner. That man is such a pain in the ass. Just the gravestones of the founders? Now that I think about it, that's ten billion percent bull crap."  
Yae leaned forward to get a better look. "It's not just a gravestone, is it?"  
Senku shook his head. "No. It's a time capsule that's been kept in solid concrete."  
"A time capsule? What's that?" Kohaku wondered.  
"Is there really something inside it?" Chromed inched closer.  
"Yeah, but we'll need to break it to get inside."  
"Be careful." Said Yae.  
Magma suddenly moved forward with a hammer, ready to flatted the damn thing.  
"Hold it, meat head!" Senku yelled. Magma stopped right on time. "If I'm right, there's glass inside this thing. We're going to need both power and speed to crack this thing open swiftly."  
Kohaku rolled up her sleeves and pulled out her tools. "Step aside, boys. I got this!" Everyone with amazement as Kohaku carefully and swiftly chiseled away at the stone.  
"There's something inside!" Suika shouted once the top layer broke off. "It's some kind of silver chunk."  
"We should take it back to the laboratory before we do anything else with it." Yae cautioned. "We don't want to expose it to anymore light or the elements in the air just to be on the safe side."  
Senku nodded. "I agree. Let's head back."

Once the rest of the stone had been removed, it was clear was really covered up inside.  
"It's silver because its wrapped in aluminum foil." Senku explained. "If we wash it with hydrochloric acid..." He lifted the circular disk and presented it to everyone.  
"It's glass!" Chrome's mouth dropped open.  
"A saucer?"  
"It looks like they cut out the bottom of a bottle or something."  
Senku admired the glass disk. "Saucer. Speakers. Speaking with needles." He chuckled softly. "Does that remind you of anything?"  
Asagiri and Yae glanced over at each other. "It's a record!" They said unison as they both snatched it from Senku's hands.  
"Oh wow! How cool!" Yae wondered what was on it and if it still actually worked.  
"My dad's voice and voices of the crew are all on there. They went through the trouble of leaving us a voice recording."  
Yae's eyes sparkled with delight. "Oh wow, I can't wait to hear!"  
Senku smirked. "Well then, let's hear what they have to say."  
"Chrome was right." Ruri's eyes went glossy. "Science truly is beautiful. It has let Senku's father speak to him from Heaven. And now, thousands of years later, traveling through time with science, such a thing is possible." The heart-warming moment was only going to get better as they all waited anxiously to hear what was on the record.

Of course, Chrome had his concerns and asked, "Wait, Senku. Are you trying to tell that record thing can trap sound?"  
"That's impossible." Chimed Suika. "There's no way you can trap a sound."  
Kohaku scratched her head. "I'm so confused."  
Yae looked over at her chuckled somewhat. "That's alright. You don't have to completely understand to be amazed by it."  
"So then," Kohaku asked, "how does it work?"  
Senku looked at the glass record carefully. "Actually, the way it works is ridiculously simple." He went through the steps carefully, hoping everyone could follow along. He talked about grooves, vibration and how it all connects through a needle. "And that reproduces the original sound." Senku said, feeling proud of himself having remembered those little details.  
"Is it really possible for glass to store sound?" Kaseki said. "I never would have guessed it."  
"Senku's old man was badass!" Said Chrome.  
Senku picked at his ear again. "Ah, he's cool, but he didn't do it. It had to have been the people who were stuck with him."  
Yae guessed that Byakuya was rolling his grave after Senku said what he did. "Astronauts are some of the worlds most elite scientist." Yae told him, trying to give a bit of dignity back to the old man.  
Senku smirked. "Yeah, all except for my old man. He got in on luck. Although, it is possible that he came up with the idea. He would have thought of something as goofy as this."  
"Well then," said Yae. "What are we waiting for? Let's give it a listen!"  
Senku nodded. "It should be easy enough to make a record player. We'll use some of the gear from the cotton candy machine."  
A glimmer sparked in Kohaku's eyes. "Heh! I guess it was a good thing to mess up father's shield. It's so much better this way."  
"As long as it can help you that's fine with me." Kokuyo said feeling somewhat giddy. "Just glad to be useful."  
"And that right there is how people become cogs in society as they get older...like literally." Asagiri crossed his arms.  
"I don't remember asking you for your social commentary." Said Senku and Yae laughed.

After a few passing moments while others went to gather a few supplies, Ruri came back.  
"Here you go. I use this sew clothing and such." She handed the cloth over to Senku that had a tiny sharp object laying on top.  
"Ah, this is perfect."  
"Hey, a bone needle." Yae said. She had helped Ruri sew a few things before so she knew exactly what it was and also knew what Senku planned to use it for.  
"Making a record player isn't actually that hard...but making the record is a whole other matter." The excitement in his face faltered somewhat and Yae noticed.  
"Don't worry, Senku. We'll think of something. We always do."  
Senku nodded at her. "If we're going to be cutting glass, we'll need an extremely hard rock."  
This seemed right up Chrome's alley. "Yeah, something like corundom or diamonds, right?"  
"Exactly," Senku told him.  
With that said, the Kingdom of Science set off to make a record player.

It only took a single day to make the record, but in order to do that, everyone had to be working together.  
"Yeah, we managed to pull it off!" Chrome pumped his fist into the air.  
"Wait!" Said Yae. "Before we use it, let's bring everyone together. This is actual history we're about to witness."  
"Yae is right." Said Senku. "It would be a shame if they missed out on this." He nudged her a little; that small physical affection going a long way to tell Yae silently that he appreciated her kindness when it came to thinking of the others.

Before long, everyone was together.  
"What's going on?" asked Turquoise.  
"Apparently we're going to hear the voices of the founders." Jasper explained quickly. He too was excited and could hardly wait.  
"Okay, start spinning, Ginro." Senku said.  
"Sure. I've gotten a lot of practice from the cotton candy machine."  
Yae held her breath as Senku slowly and carefully placed the needle on the glass record. What would they hear? What kind of message would they receive? Yae automatically grasped Senku's hand, her attention focused on the record.  
For a moment, it silent, but suddenly, a voice spoke out. "I don't know whose listening to this. It could be hundreds, maybe even thousands of years from now..."  
Yae stole a glance over at Senku. There was a look on his face that she had never seen before and she could only imagine what kind of thoughts were running through his head.  
"Those are the voices of the founding villagers?" Kokuyo was baffled.  
"I think that's Senku's father talking." Kohaku told him. "It's really him."  
"But enough about me!" Byakuya's voice suddenly got louder. "Who needs all this stuffy formality?...You revived from the petrification and somehow got your hands on this recording. Senku...you're listening, aren't you? I can tell. How many centuries has it been since we've seen each other? It's kind of crazy to think about." There was another small pause. "This will be the last call I make to you..."  
Yae's heart sunk a little. She could feel Senku's palms going warmer than usual, but his stoic attitude remained the same.  
"Senku, I want you to know that I have always...always..." Just when Yae thought Byakuya was about to say something mushy, he quickly changed the tone in his voice. "Ya know what? You're probably the last person who needs all that sappy father and son crap, so I'll just get to the point."  
Senku laughed. "You know me alright."  
"Senku, if the village is still here and you're having a tough time winning over the hearts and minds of whoever's living in it, try playing this for them."  
Yae smiled softly. It didn't take much for Senku to win her heart.

Suddenly, Yae's thoughts were interrupted when Byakuya said, "I present to those who have lived unenlightened...the light of music!"  
With the seconds that followed no one was prepared to hear what was next. Yae hadn't heard music for such a long time that she almost forgot how beautiful it truly sounded. There was a pang in her chest, a yearning for more, and a spark of memory. She had heard this voice before...this song. It made her feel happy and safe, like everything was going to be alright in the end. A hot tear ran down her cheek but Senku wiped it away before it could slip down her chin. There was a heartfelt smile on his face.  
Little suika was shaking with emotion. "I've never heard something so beautiful before."  
"It's like the voice of an angel." Kaseki did his best to remain calm and not cry like a baby.  
Ginro, on the other hand, had no shame as he tears rushed down his face. "Wah! It's amazing! I don't know what else to say."  
Kinro slid over, ready to steady his younger brother if he needed to. "Well put." He said.  
"That's Lillian singing. She was one of the beautiful and respected vocalists of our time. Imagine that being the first song you hear." Asagiri said.  
"Lillian..." Yae mumbled her name. Somehow she knew the name bore some kind of meaning deeper than the message of Lillian's song.  
"That's bad!" Chrome was close to shedding a few tears himself. "Two million years of humanity. So bad!" He finally let the tears flow. "Senku, Yae, I bet there was all kinds of awesome music like this in the past, huh?"  
"Yeah, you're damn right. And music is just part of it. Games, television, movies, manga. So much art and entertainment, and all of it was made possible by science. There was a tone of ridiculously fun stuff from all over the world."  
"Too bad it's all long gone now." Said Yae.  
"But all that still has a chance to live on." Senku reminded her. "Inside our hearts. And I'm going to do everything I can to let you guys see it, but first, we're gonna need to take down the Tsukasa Empire and revive all the worlds statues."  
The village roared with excitement and praise.  
"I really wanna see everything for myself!" Suika could hardly contain herself.  
"I'm so damn excited!" Kaseki pumped his fists into the air.  
Talk of reviving all the statues around the world spread quickly. It filled people with hope for a better future.  
"I must say," started Asagiri. "Your dad's got skill. Even from a thousand years ago, he's got complete strangers excited about bringing others back from the petrification and just Lillian singing made it possible. So does this help wash your guilt from having dragged your fellow villagers into a war? Maybe just a little?"  
Senku laughed. "Come on. I never had any to begin with."  
Yae playfully smacked his arm. "Not even a little bit?"  
Senku rubbed his arm even though it barely hurt. "You know me." He smirked.

Once everyone dispersed, Yae took Furo out of her cage to eat. The forest had the most nutritious plants for her to eat, and she had yet to pay her respects to the weeping woman. It was late so she would be quick about it. And with most of the snow finally melting away, it was easier to make her way through and in no time Yae was right where she wanted to be.  
Senku would be able to handle things on his own for the rest of the evening without her by his side.

While she waited for Furo to eat her fill, Yae placed a flower atop the statues head. She was humming Lillian's song. She worried little about anyone sneaking up on her. She was confidant enough in her fighting skills that she would be able to defend herself. But what came next she was not prepared for. Nothing could have helped her with what was about to happen; her mental state of mind innocent in the ways of being buried underneath the truth. It all came flooding back to her. Perhaps it was Lillian's song, or maybe just luck. But was she really lucky?  
Yae's hand that held the flower shook above the statue's head.  
"M-mah-mah...Mom...?" She backed away slowly; her body temperature rising quickly, cheeks flushing and he head spinning. She fell on her bottom and she grabbed her head, pulling at her hair. "No...NO!" She took in a deep breath and screamed, sobbing as tears fell down her red, heated cheeks.

It was like a scary dream she couldn't wake herself from; a nightmare she was reliving once again. Her memories had all come back to her. She remembered the kids from school, the shitty apartment she and her mother lived in. She remembered the kids who bullied her for her weight and for the fact that she was always so quiet. But it was more than just bullying. It was so much worse than that and Yae thought she was going to die from shock. Her breathing sped up, her heart raced and her head started to hurt so much. She did her best to think of Senku. It was him that made her fucked up life worth living, to perhaps someday have the courage to tell him how she felt about him, but the only face she could see was Tsukasa.

**Next chapter will be all about Yae's past. Get ready for an overly protective Senku!  
Also, please listen to the song Silence sung by Isak Danielson. It reminds me of Yae. **


	21. Chapter twenty-one

Yae's screams echoed throughout the forest. They reached the village, startling those who could hear. Senku was in the laboratory when he heard. He stopped immediately what he was doing, his heart racing just a little bit faster.  
To stay as calm as he could, he made his way outside where Kohaku met up with him. They eyed each other seriously.  
Kohaku gripped the hilt of her katana firmly. "Was that Yae?"  
Senku wiped his hands on his sides, rubbing the sweat away. He was hardly ever nervous, but deep in his gut, he felt something was very wrong. "I think so." He answered the lioness.  
"I heard screaming." Kinro came running up with his brother close behind.  
"Should we check it out?"  
"Yes!" Senku tightened his belt. "I'm pretty that was Yae. Let's hurry."

Senku and the others rushed to where they heard the screaming, all the while Senku was silently hoping it wasn't Yae.  
When they found her, she was on her hands and knees, sobbing; her shoulders shook uncontrollably as she dug her nails into the earth.  
"Yae...?" Senku approached her and knelt beside her, one hand on her trembling shoulder.  
"Don't youch me!" she shouted.  
Senku pulled his arm back and froze in his place. "Yae...what happened?" He said as calmly as he could.  
Yae tried to pick herself up, but she felt so weak that she collapsed. "I can't..." Her voice was barely audible.  
Kohaku took a step forward, worried for her friend's well-being. "Tell us who hurt you, and we'll go after them."  
Yae hiccuped. "No one..." She tried in vain to wipe her tears away. Her lips trembled as she looked up at Senku with pleading eyes. With shaking hands, she reached out to him, wanting his comfort more than anything in the world. She hadn't even realized that she swatted him away just seconds before.  
Senku knelt slowly, pulling her into a hug.  
"I remember..." Yae whispered in his ear.  
Senku stole a glance at Kohaku, the look in his eyes told her that this was far more serious than they thought. "Get on my back, and I'll carry you." Senku released her long enough to turn around and let Yae climb on his back. He grasped her thighs securely and stood up.  
"Is she going to be okay?" Ginro asked.  
"Shh." Kinro nudged him in the side.  
"Yeah, she'll be fine," Senku said this, but he wasn't entirely sure if he believed it himself.  
Kohaku took the lead while the brothers stayed in the back. "When we get back to the village I'll prepare some hot water," Kohaku said. "It always made Ruri feel better when she was sick."  
"Yae's not sick," Senku told her. He almost bit his tongue for saying that. Yae wasn't physically sick, but mentally? "But it doesn't hurt to try." He finished.

When they reached the village, Senku took Yae back to the hut where he laid her down and waited for Kohaku to get the hot water. She was still shaking as she lay curled up in a fetal position. Senku caressed her hair; he didn't talk, just sat there next to her. If anyone was going to break the, silence it would be her first.  
A few moments later, Kohaku returned carrying a clay bowl, and set it down gently. She lingered for a moment, wanting desperately to say something, but in the end, she left Senku to be alone with Yae. No matter how curious she was, she knew they needed space. All she could do for them was stand watch by the door, and make sure no one disrupted them.  
Senku took the washcloth sitting in the bowl and twisted it, getting as much water out of it as possible before gently rubbing Yae's tear-stained face. Her crying had subsided as she lay there and let Senku take care of her. The hot cloth felt nice on her red, puffy cheeks.  
"Are you going to ask me?" she finally said. Her voice was raspy, and she did her best to clear it.  
"I was waiting for you to say something," Senku told her truthfully. "I'm not going to force it out of you."  
Yae sniffed and continued to lay there as Senku rubbed the cloth over her forehead. "Do you want to know?"  
Was this a trick question? Senku wasn't sure what he should say to her. Was it better not knowing? "Only if you want me to know."  
Yae slowly bowed her head, indicating that she wanted him to know everything. "Will you still like me if I tell you?"  
Senku refrained from sighing or making any subtle movement that would make her feel uneasy. "Yes, I will."  
She started by saying, "I've liked you for a long time, Senku..." Memories of the world long ago filled Senku's mind as Yae unfolded the truth to him.

Thirty-seven-hundred years ago, in Tokyo Japan, Yae sat in her desk at school. The bell had rung long ago, but she continued to sit there an hour later. Why? Her mother had wanted her desperately to join an after-school activity, but Yae was far too shy, and every time she tried to talk to someone, her words became mixed up, and she would begin to stutter.  
With the hour that passed, it allowed her the time to work on her homework or study. This way, her mother would think that she was getting along and making friends at school. Yae did have friends but never hung out with them after school. And whatever activity they were in, Yae had no interest in joining—like sports.

The alarm on her stop-watch went off, signaling the one hour mark, and she stood to go home. Even though Yae could have taken a bus or train home, she chose to walk instead. Not only was it good exercise, but it was free. More importantly, she had no money to take transportation and to and from school. Whatever money her mother earned went towards bills and food.  
What about her father? Yae had grown up without one; her mother always refused to tell her who he was. This left Yae feeling unwanted—a burden—and poor. However, it was not her fault, but she couldn't see past it. Everywhere she walked, the faces of men she passed by, she thought,_ are you him?_

Yae usually made it home by five-thirty; the house was silent, her mother nowhere to be seen. Probably at work putting in extra hours at the restaurant. The one good thing about her mom working there was all the wasted food nobody wanted or messed up making. Her mom, Yoko, didn't bring the food home by the grace of her good boss—she smuggled it. Which was always risky because it could get her fired. Still, it was better than eating plain rice or watered down ramen.  
Because of her diet, Yae wasn't skinny. A soft pouch known as her belly was proof of all the fried and greasy food she ate. However, she wasn't over-weight either. She was stuck in the middle, always having a hard time finding clothes would fit her properly.

Often Yae would be in bed before her mom ever came home. And if she was still awake, Yae would lay very still, hoping her mom would come and check in on her. Sometimes she did, sometimes she didn't. It all depended on how tired she was after work. And when morning came, Yae woke herself up, taking responsibility of getting ready and cooking herself breakfast; usually toast and butter was her only option. She never complained, though.

Everyday was the same: wake up, go to school, study, come home and maybe see her mom.  
On the days she did see her, Yae made it her goal to spend as much time with her as possible. Most of the time their conversation ended with Yae wanting to know about her dad.  
"Yae, not this. Not now."  
"I deserve to know who my dad is."  
"Stop, Yae."  
Yae pauses, biting her lower lip. "Do you even know who he is?" She had never considered that perhaps her mom had slept with multiple men in her younger years. The idea was plausible. And if that was the case, she still deserved to know.  
"You're not ready to know, Yae."  
"I've been asking for years."  
Yoko sat down on the couch. She poured herself a glass of red wine. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "Leave it alone."  
Yae clenched her fists, face heating up with anger. "Just fucking tell me!" She yelled. "At least tell me his first name."  
Yoko looked at her daughter, baffled. "I'm your mother, you will not speak to me that way."  
Yae took a breath, doing her best to come down from the mountain anger she had slowly been climbing.

Days would pass before Yae could carry on a normal conversation with her mom again. After so many years, Yae decided to do her own research. The first thing she did was go to the hospital where she was born, but any information regarding her dad was kept locked up. Her mom didn't want her finding out. Perhaps her dad was a bad person and her mom was only trying to protect. She sure had a shitty way of going about it if that was the case.

Her next plan of action was to check out the courthouse, surely there would be something. But again, Yae was left empty handed. It left her feeling overly emotional, and well, hungry—or better yet, 'hangry'.  
Yae's mom didn't make enough to afford two phones. A landline was all they had, so Yae walked to the bank to pull out some cash. 1000 yen would be enough for fast-food. She had a card, same as her mom, and knew the information to get into the account. It was there that Yae noticed something suspicious. Money had been transferred into the account from someone by the name of Chris Shandler.  
"Chris Shandler..." Yae whispered to herself. "Chris..." She said the name again but with more irritation. Yae wrote down the information shown on the screen and then left the building in search of food.

It wasn't until a few days later that Yae confronted her mom about the name.  
"He's a friend."  
"Okay, then why haven't I heard his name before?"  
"He's from overseas."  
"Overseas? America? Canada? Where?"  
"Stopping asking so many questions. It's nothing you need to worry about."  
Yae scoffed. "I find suspicious activity on the account and you tell me I don't need to worry?"  
"Not this, Yae. I'll tell you later. I have to get to work." She leaned forward and planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "I'll see you later." She smiled, though behind that smile was an exhausted woman doing everything she could to support her daughter.  
Yae appreciated her mom, she did, but the truth would have to come out eventually.

Late that same evening, Yae was struggling to fall asleep so she stayed up and watched some mindless television. It was soon her mom walked through the door. No bag of food was in her arms, which meant work had been so busy she wasn't able to snatch up any food.  
"Oh Yae, you're still awake?" She stood by the couch where Yae sat and rubbed her eyes. Her voice was scratchy.  
"Mom, are you okay?"  
"I don't feel so good." Beads of sweat dripped from Yoko's forehead. She lost her footing for a second, catching herself by grabbing hold of the couch.  
Yae stood, taking a step forward and hands reaching to catch her mom if she fell. She had seen her mom like this before, but that was a long time ago.

Suddenly, Yoko coughed. Blood flew out and sprayed Yae in the face and on her pajama shirt.  
"Yae! Call an ambulance, I think I'm dying!"  
Fear and panic rose in Yae like a volcano.  
With blood spotted on her hands, Yae picked up the phone with shaky hands and called for help. Her mind was focused on one thing only: saving her mom. She didn't know how much time it took for the ambulance to reach them but Yae stood by her mom's side, a bloody cloth in one hand and a firm grasp around her shoulders. Even the sounds of the sirens nearing and the flashing lights growing bigger and brighter, Yae never spoke a word; she held her mom in her arms and waited for help.

In the end, Yoko pulled through. She was out of harms way and sleeping soundly in the hospital bed. Yae was by her side when the doctor came in.  
"Your mother is very sick, Miss Sawa." Yae nodded. "Is there family you can call?" She shrugged. "Did you know your mother was taking pills and mixing them with alcohol?" This time she shook her head. "Miss Sawa, it's very important that you understand this: your mother could have died tonight. The pills she took with the alcohol caused a hole in her esophagus, that's why she started throwing up blood." When he saw the fear strike in Yae's eyes, he corrected himself. "She was very close, but she pulled through and I believe with the proper rest she will be healthy again very soon."  
"What about her job?"  
The doctor offered an idea. "Perhaps she can take some sick leave."  
Yae looked down at the floor. It was better than nothing. "I understand." Yae said to the doctor.  
"Why don't you go home and get some sleep. You look tired yourself. And you have school tomorrow, right?"  
Yae nodded, standing slowly. It hurt to move. Her body ached from the stress; she nearly lost her only family.  
If Yoko had died, Yae would have been forced with live with her grandparents. They weren't bad people but they lived far enough away that she would have to switch schools, and she didn't want that to happen.  
_What about Senku? If I leave school, I won't be able to see him anymore._

There was little time to give it anymore thought. Yae lied about family; she told the doctor they had a place where they could stay if things got worse. Even if they did get really bad, Yoko would never want to move clear on the other side of Tokyo. She and her mom and moved on the other side of the city for a reason, and that sole reason being that Yae's mom never got along with her grandmother.  
_Like mother, like daughter..._  
Yae gave herself a small pinch on the cheek to stop from crying or feeling sorry for herself. There were worse things in life.

By the time Yae reached home, the phone was ringing. Yae wasn't going to answer it. She let it ring until it stopped, only to hear start again. This process repeated another two times before Yae picked up the phone. Maybe it was the hospital.  
It wasn't.  
"Hello?" A deep male voice said from the other side. Yae could tell by his accent that he wasn't Japanese. "Yoko?"  
"Yoko isn't here," Yae answered in Japanese.  
"Uh..." The man stuttered with his Japanese. Yae knew he was trying, but it was painful to listen to him.  
"I speak a little English." Yae cut him off to quickly explain herself and to stop him from making more of a fool of himself.  
"Oh good. Uh, is Yoko there?"  
"No."  
"Where is she?"  
"Work."  
"I checked. She wasn't in."  
"Errands." Yae did her best to answer all his questions in English.  
There was a pause on the other side, and Yae secretly hoped the line had been cut, but soon, he began speaking again. "Who am I speaking to?"  
"Her daughter, Yae."  
Another pause. "Yae? Hi, how are you?"  
"Call me Sawa. And I am Good."  
"Right, of course. Can we meet? I'm an old friend of your mom's."  
"Who are you?" Yae asked.  
"Oh, uh, my name is Chris."  
"Chris Shandler?"  
The man sounded surprised. "She's told you about me?"  
"No."  
"Okay? Well, can we still meet? Maybe get a hold of your mom, and we can all get together?"  
Yae agreed, but meeting him would have to wait. She was tired, and she had school in a few hours, so she hung up the phone and passed out on her bed, all the while humming a lullaby to help soothe her worries.

When Yae's alarm went off, she was as tired as the moment her head hit the pillow. It was as if she hadn't slept at all. All the stress and built-up tension were finally getting to her.  
After making breakfast, she prepped herself a lunch containing rice and squid. It wasn't much, but it would do.  
She went on with her day as if nothing happened at all; she took part in class, working out math problems on the board, working in pairs, and even completing class projects. Senku was in her science class. His group had done an outstanding job with their project, and their presentation was remarkable. It came as no surprise to Yae, though, as she stared at him with admiration in her eyes. She wanted to congratulate him for doing such a wonderful job, but the butterflies in her tummy stopped her from doing so.

Yae's opportunity vanished the moment the bell for lunch rang. She grabbed her bento box and found a quiet spot to eat. She didn't want to talk to anyone—just enjoy her lunch in peace and quiet. And even though she was starving, a rumbling came from someone else's stomach. She looked back to her, Tsukasa was sitting on the other end of the bench. Yae was certain she had chosen an empty bench. Either Yae was too tired to have noticed him right away or was stealthy, or both.  
"Do you want it?" Yae offered her lunch to him. According to the sounds of his stomach, he needed it more than she did.  
"No, thank you."  
"Take it, you must be hungry." She stood up and set on his lap, not taking no for an answer, and she walked away before he could give it back to her.

Going hungry was nothing new to Yae. She was confident that she could last until after she got home from school. And since her mom was still resting at the hospital, she wouldn't have to sit around for an hour.  
She went on with the rest of her day as normal. Her mind was occupied with how her mom was doing. All those times they fought she didn't mean it; she was just frustrated and didn't understand why her mom didn't trust her to know the truth. Yae loved her mom, but sometimes it hurt.

Walking through the hall to her next class, a sharp pain wrapped around her chest, and she leaned against the window. Calm, Yae focused on her breathing and nothing else; it was stress weighing her down.  
"You don't look so good." Yae looked up to see Yuzuriha.  
"Just a little tired." Yae smiled.  
"Here," Yuzuriha handed Yae a small bottle of water from her backpack. "I have two more, so you can have this one. It's warm today, and it's important to stay hydrated."  
"Oh...thank you."  
Yuzuriha showed her a smile, pretty white teeth and all. "We're in the next class together, right? Let's walk together."  
"Sure." Yae smiled shyly.

The water helped. Perhaps she was only dehydrated and needed some water to calm her nerves and stay alert. But deep down, Yae knew that was only wishful thinking. She was glad for Yuzuriha's help and wished she'd have the guts to ask her if she ever wanted to hang out after school. Even if she did have the courage to ask, her study's kept her busy. For as poor as she was, her mind was rich with knowledge. She studied so much so that one day she could find a good job and finally be able to take care of her mom.

By the end of the day, Yae found herself falling into motion when school was finally released.  
_What am I doing? I can go home because mom isn't there. Why am I still sitting around? _  
Old habits died hard.  
She was about to take off and leave when Senku walked through the door. He acknowledged her presence with a nod and then briskly made his way over to one of the nearby tables.  
"What are you doing? School is over." Yae surprised herself. The words just came out.  
"Oh, uh. Doing some extra work for the hell of it. I don't feel like going home yet." He paused and then turned to look at her. "Why are you still here?"  
"I was studying, but I feel like cutting it short. I was just about to leave."  
Senku nodded and then turned to pull out a few Petri dishes and a microscope and began his examination.  
"Hold on, before you go," Senku waved her over. "Tell me, what kind of bacteria is this?"  
Yae set her bag down and walked over. Of course, she thought it odd that Senku would ask her. Surely he already knew the answer? _Ah, he's testing me. _She thought.  
Yae looked through the microscope and studied the bacteria before her. "Staphylococcus aureus. You can tell by the yellow color."  
"Correct. Earlier today someone tried saying it was Neomycin agar."  
Yae almost laughed. "But that's an antibiotic. The two are completely different."  
Senku nodded in agreement. "Exactly. It contains neomycin, the antibiotic you just spoke of." Paused, eyeing Yae carefully. "It's a shame that we're never on the same team. The teachers know that if we were, we'd be unstoppable." He smirked.  
Yae turned her head to hide her blushing face. "Yeah, too bad, huh?"  
"Are you ready for the test next week?"  
"Yeah, I've only been studying nonstop." She half-joked.  
"Wish I could say the same."  
"You haven't studied?" Yae was shocked.  
Senku didn't seem bothered. "I'll be fine. Say, want to study together? We can test each other."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Of course I'm sure, otherwise I would have never asked."  
Yae was beside herself with disbelief. Was Senku Ishigami really asking her, Yae Sawa, to study with him? The kid was a brainiac! Why was he asking to do something he could easily do by himself?  
It mattered not to Yae; she was happy to oblige.

An hour, and then two passed by. Yae had forgotten all about going home, and for a while, she forgot about her problems, too. She had become so engrossed with switching off Petri dishes and jotting down notes, that her nerves hadn't bothered her, and talking to Senku was perfectly natural to her. In fact, it was almost too easy how casual their conversation unfolded; how easy it was to get along with him.

Yae glanced at the clock and had to do a double-take. It was already five O'clock.  
"Is it that late already?" Yae said.  
Senku flipped his phone facing up and looked at the time. "It would seem so. Do you have to go?"  
Yae presses her lips together, thinking of what to say. "I should. I have things at home I have to take care of." It was only half a lie.  
Senku's phone buzzed. "Ah, it's my old man."  
"Old man?"  
"My dad. Says he's picking me up. Wants to have 'father and son' time."  
"And is that bad?" Yae asked. But what she truly wanted to say was: what is it like having a dad?  
"No." Was Senku's reply. "We'll probably eat ramen again." His phone buzzed again. "Shit. Better clean this stuff up, huh."  
"I'll help." Yae and Senku put everything back the way it before, if not better and tidier.  
"Do you want a ride home?" Senku offered.  
Yae's heart drummed against her chest. "No, that's okay. I don't live far." Another lie. She didn't want him to see the shitty apartment complex where she lived, afraid she would scare him off for good. This was the first time Senku had spoken to her besides during class or in the wall whilst looking at the scoreboard. She didn't want to give him a reason to stop talking to her altogether.  
"Are you sure?"  
Yae bowed. "Yes, I'm sure. Thank you." She bowed again before leaving.

The walk to the hospital was long and uneventful. Yae kept herself busy by going over questions in her head that would be on her test. And as she stopped at a crosswalk, she stood near a store, music was playing loudly, and a giant screen with an American singer was the source of the music. Yae turned her attention to the screen, missing her chance to walk across the street. She was taken by the singer's voice, her dancing and the gorgeous dress she wore. On the bottom of the screen read the singer's name, the song she was singing and where she was performing.  
"Lillian Weinberg..." Yae said spoke quietly, saying her name to remember it. She liked the music.  
Finally, she headed off, crossing the street when it was time, and hummed Lillian's song the rest of the way to the hospital.

Yoko was still sleeping when Yae arrived, so she sat there and waited for her to wake. Yae was tired herself, but the chair she was sitting in wasn't exactly comfortable. She watched her mom's chest rise and fall peacefully, thinking her mom was finally getting the rest she deserved.  
"Someone called the house the other day," Yae began. "Says his name is Chris Shandler. Why would he be calling? He asked for you. Who is he?" Yae's voice was quiet, and even though her mom still slept, she talked anyway.  
"He wants to meet with you—with us." Yae Braided and unbraided her hair. "Mom...?" Yae waited another hour for her mom to wake, thinking she would have to go home before she would get the chance to have a real conversation with her mom. She got as far as the door when Yoko finally opened her eyes.  
"Yae?"  
Flinching, Yae let got of the handle and turned to look at her mom. "Did I wake you?"  
Yoko shook her head weakly. "No, love."  
Yae pressed her lips together. Her mom only called her 'love' when she was feeling emotional. She took her seat again, setting her backpack next to her.  
Yoko lifted her hand, reaching out to her daughter. Yae quickly took hold, lightly grasping her mom's hand between hers. "How is school?"  
"It's the same."  
Yoko nodded, smiling faintly. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to be strong for you." A few tears found their way at the edges of her eyes.  
Yae swallowed hard, trying her damndest to keep her emotions in check. "Well, with that extra cash, you won't have to work so hard."  
Yoko looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"  
"A man named Chris Shandler called. He asked about you. He also sent us money. I saw the transfer."  
Yoko seemed nervous now, but still confused. "Chris?" Yae nodded. "He called the house? That must mean he's—"  
"In Japan? Yes. Who is he?"  
Yoko's bottom lip trembled and she bit down to keep it from doing so. "He's your father."  
Yae suspected as much. Her shoulders slumped, and her grip loosening on her mom. "I see..." She looked down on her lap.  
"Are you mad at me?" Yoko asked.  
"I don't feel anything," Yae said honestly. "In my gut, I guess I already knew the answer."  
"I'm sorry," Yoko said.  
"For what?"  
"For not being a better mother to you."  
Yae shot her head up, her mom was crying. She swallowed hard again, her throat tight. "Don't apologize."  
"I'm a bad mother..." Yoko went on.  
"Broken people aren't bad people," Yae spoke too soon; she never meant to say those words out loud. "What I mean is—"  
Yoko dried her tears and sniffed, forcing a smile. "It's okay, love." She sniffed again, trying to rid herself free from the runny nose. "The doctors tell me I can leave tomorrow. Isn't that good news?"  
"It's wonderful news." Yae braved a smile to cheer her mom up.

The two spoke until visiting hours were over. Yae was sad to say goodbye to her mother but knew that she would see her again tomorrow, and may even be able to take her home if nothing was arranged yet. Yae took a deep breath and dried the rest of her tears as she stepped outside. The fresh air felt good on her face. Now it was time to face reality once again; there was school to think about, and her grades didn't care about her personal life, but they would help her get into a good college.

Her walk home was uneventful, just as her walk to the hospital, but Yae didn't mind. There were no surprises, and she was able to go back to her usual routine, or what was left of it anyway.

The first part the next day went on as normal as Yae sat down to have lunch with a few other classmates. She had seemed to misplace her bento box so she was using her moms again; fish and rice were the main courses. She chose to sit with people this time. The thought of being alone with her thoughts was troubling. Listening to a group of teenage girls banter back and forth was a welcome sound. Until...  
"Miss Sawa." Said a voice behind her.  
Yae turned, somewhat taken aback and wondering who could be calling her name. "Yes?"  
Tsukasa stood just a foot away, her misplaced bento box resting in his hands. He bowed, presenting her bento box to her. "I wasn't able to find you the other day after school to give this back. Thank you for the food. It was delicious."  
The bento box plopped in her hands, her mouth ajar. "Uh, you're welcome."  
A few bystanders, including Yae's classmates who sat with her, ogled at the two.  
Tsukasa lingered a second longer than what was necessary, as if he waiting for Yae to say more, but she never did. When he left, Yae turned back around in her seat, two bento boxes sitting in front of her. Nothing was missing any longer.  
"What the hell was that all about?" One of Yae's classmates gaped at her. "That guy is seriously scary."  
"In a hot kind of way." Added another girl.  
"No, just scary." The first girl quickly defended her idea of the strongest guy in school.  
"What do you think, Yae?" Another classmate asked.  
Yae shrugged. "He's just another student here. He doesn't bother people who don't bother him, so why should I be concerned about him? He seems fine to me."  
"Why did he have your bento box?"  
"The other day I saw he had nothing to eat, so I gave him my food. I wasn't very hungry that day." Yae felt embarrassed now. "I sort of forgot I gave it to him." She scratched her head.  
Her classmates said little else on the subject, but Yae had a feeling they were all still wondering why Tsukasa would ever have anything to do with a girl like Yae. The two were exact opposites.

After school, Yae went to pick her mother up from the hospital. And as she opened the door to the room where she was staying, a man whom Yae had never seen before, stood there. He wasn't one of the doctors, and he wasn't Japanese. This man stood well over six feet, blond hair, blue eyes, a little heavyset, older, but otherwise fairly decent looking.  
"Mom..." Yae came into the room slowly, her wall of defense going up as the appearance of the man was somewhat intimidating.  
Yoko was dressed in her regular clothes again and looking much better. "Oh, Yae!" She smiled. "I want you to meet someone."  
A hard lump stuck in Yae's throat. She already knew who he was.  
"This is Chris. Your dad. He's come from America—New York City, to be exact." She swung the leather strap of her purse over her shoulder.  
Chris stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you." His Japanese had improved since last she spoke with him over the phone, but perhaps he had been practicing that one line ever since he arrived here. Regardless of her attempt to impress her with his Japanese, Yae hung back. She did not shake his hand, rather, she bowed instead, keeping her distance.  
_Why now? _She thought. _After all these years, now you show up. What do you want from us?_

Chris was no stranger to spending money. He paid for transportation and even offered to take them out for dinner. Yae was already feeling guilty for the free ride and wanted no other reason to be indebted to this man, but Yoko was thrilled about the idea and insisted on one of the fanciest restaurants. It was an 'all you can eat wagyu' restaurant. In other words, beef.  
Yae had never been to one. Her mom was always too broke to take them to a place like this, so eating lots of beef at a time was a rarity. Yae secretly loved it.

The three of them sat there for a good hour, switching back and forth from English to Japanese. Yae had never heard her mom speak English before and wondered if this was a hidden talent of hers. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Yoko was cautious when Yae asked about her dad. He was American, not Japanese.  
Yae gritted her teeth, suddenly angry. She wasn't even fully Japanese. Here she was, looking at the faces of Japanese men when really it was a white man the whole time whose face had been lost in the crowd.  
She learned that he was a pilot and that he had flown all over the world and seen so many things. He talked about taking Yae and her mom to the private beaches in Mexico, but Yae didn't want that. What she wanted was already gone; it was hope, hope for a real family. Perhaps if she had met Chris ten years ago, her anger would not be so great, but all of her pain that had been resting inside her became ten-fold. She no longer knew what she wanted. Everything was making her uncomfortable. Even breathing was hard.  
It made no sense to her why she was still sitting here listening to the two talk. She continued to be surprised by what Chris said about his life. He had a family back in America. He had divorced his wife recently after twenty years of marriage, and that his two daughters, who were slightly older than Yae, lived with him.

Every time he opened his mouth and said something new, it pissed off Yae. Was he only here now that he had divorced his wife? They were married for twenty years, which meant her mom had an affair with this man. It was making her sick to her stomach. Yae wasn't stupid. She was figuring this all out just by listening to their conversation, and she wanted out of it.

Suddenly, Yae stood, unable to take anymore.  
"Where are you going, Yae?"  
"I'm feeling a little sick." It wasn't a lie. She really didn't feel well.  
"Oh, well let's go home then."  
"No, that's okay. I can walk home. It's not that far. Besides, you two have so much to catch up on." She smiled even though it pained her to do so.  
"Are you sure?" Yoko was ready to leave if Yae wanted it.  
Yae looked back and forth from her mom to Chris. She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll see you at home." She bowed, taking her leave. "Thank you so much for the food. I greatly appreciate it." She said to Chris before heading out.

The night air felt good on her face. She took a breath, finally rid of the awkward situation. It was time to head home, study, and then get some sleep.  
Now more than ever, she wished to have Chris pay her way home, but it was only two miles from where she lived. Still, her full belly would surely send her into a food coma, and she dragged her feet, sleepy.

**Reader discretion is advised!**

Unbeknownst to her, a group of men, perhaps in their mid to late twenties, followed Yae. They waited until an empty street to grab her and haul her into an alley. Her backpack was ripped from her back, pulling at her arms painfully as whoever took it didn't care if it hurt. The one who carried her over his shoulder eventually dropped her on purpose, her head hitting the stone pavement.  
Dazed, scared, and confused, Yae scrambled to her feet and tried to run. She was barely able to make out a single scream when another man pulled on her braid and yanked her head back. She fell again, hitting the ground even harder.  
"NO!" She screamed as the biggest man of them all towered over her, his weight keeping her down. "HELP!" The man sneered, taking a beer bottle and bashing it over her head. It shattered, sour and bitter liquid wetting her face. The neon-colored lights Yae saw off into the distance wee now hazy as she struggled to stay conscious—to fight and get away. She swatted at the man in vain. Her efforts were futile as he was much stronger than her. However, she managed to claw at his face while his friends stood by and watched.  
He yelled. "You fat fucking bitch!" He backhanded her.  
Yae was seeing stars now as hot tears ran down the sides of her temples.

With one hand the man held Yae's arms above her head, with his other, he grabbed her throat, choking her.  
Yae gurgled, trying time breathe. "M-m-m..." Even though she couldn't say it, Yae was trying to call out to her mom.  
_Mom, please help me!...Mom!...Mommy..._  
Yae fought with all her might to shove the brawny man off of her, but to no avail, as her body grew weak and her head heavy.  
For a moment, the man let her go, and Yae sucked in a breath, coughing as drool rolled down the side of her mouth. The man's friends held Yae down while he ripped off her uniform skirt and then her underwear.  
"Stop..." Yae could barely hear herself. Her throat hurt after being choked. "Please..."  
Exposed to the cool air, Yae shivered from vulnerability. No one had ever seen her this way, and her stomach rolled. She threw up, the beef spewing all over the man's shirt. He cursed and slapped her again.  
"Turn her over." He said.  
Yae could no longer fight back. Her strength was gone, and she was barely able to hold on to conscious, though she wasn't sure why she fought to stay awake for something as evil as this. Perhaps it would be better to pass out and be free from the rest of the experience. And yet her mind wouldn't allow her that one simple act of kindness.

The man grabbed her ass, squeezing hard. She could hear him moan as he stroked his member, getting ready for her. All the while, Yae could hear his friends talking about taking turns and what they would do to her. And with one final attempt at freedom, Yae cried; she let out a wail. A second was all she needed before one of them pressed down hard on her head and put a stop to her cries. The next sound to come out of her mouth was a muffled groan as she felt the man enter her, giving her anal. She felt every rub, every stroke of his cock. The pain was immense. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for it all to be over soon.

Her prayers were answered when the man's weight was lifted from her—and it stayed that way. For a long moment, no one touched her as she continued to lay there. She could hear the men yelling at someone else now. And through hazy eyes, she watched as each one of them got their asses handed to them by another. But who? What stranger would be kind enough—brave enough, to help her?  
The fighting was over within seconds, each one of those men who had harmed her was now lying unconscious. Yae could feel her savior putting her skirt back on and flipped her over to scoop her into their arms. She stared up at them, their long wavy brown hair blowing gracefully in the wind.  
"It's okay, Miss Sawa. Those men can't hurt you anymore." It was Tsukasa.  
Fresh tears found their way down Yae's cheeks as she pressed her face to his shoulder, eternally grateful for rescuing her from further torment.

Tsukasa brought Yae to the nearest clinic. The hospital was too far, and she needed proper care quickly. Tsukasa was persistent about staying with her until her mother called and was sent here, but Yae told him that he had done enough—done all he could.  
When Yoko arrived, Chris was not with her. This was something between only mother and daughter.  
"I heard a group of guys tried to rob you. Are you okay?"  
Yae blinked at her. Did the doctors not inform her of the rape? Perhaps that was a good thing. Yae would talk to her about it later...when she was ready. Fortunately, Yae was able to go home after she was questioned by the police. She did her best to describe the men who attacked her and was informed that if they found them, she would have the choice to press charges against them.

On the drive home, which was provided to them by a police escort, Yae debated with herself on whether or not she would ever tell her mom what happened. And if she did, how would she go about telling her?  
"When they find those men, they're going to have to worry a lot more than just the police. They have an angry momma to worry about now."  
_You have no idea. _Thought Yae.

Once they had arrived back home, Yoko prepped Yae's favorite sleepy time tea and lulled her to sleep, stroking her hair. It had been many months since Yae had felt such a caress from her mom, and she fought back tears, but a few managed to slip from her closed eyes and drip on to her pillow.

The next morning, the memories of last night found their way back. The men's faces haunted Yae; her body was sore and weak. The best thing she could do to keep her mind off the horrors she now possessed was to return to school and remain doing what she had always done. If anyone knew what was going through her mind—could read her thoughts and understand her tortured troubles, they would start to look at her differently, and she didn't want that.  
On her way out the door, Yoko called out to her. "Let me walk you to school."  
"No, that's not necessary." Yoko would hear none of it though, and grabbed a scarf. Yae touched her throat gently, grateful for the collar that hid the finger marks.  
"Let's go." Yoko opened the door and held it open for Yae. "We can grab breakfast on the way. It's still early."

They stopped at a nearby cafe, and each ordered a coffee and omurice. Yae noticed her mother acting rather strangely, almost distant despite her effort to show her care.  
In a low voice, Yoko said, "I got a call from the police very early this morning—woke me up actually." She tapped her finger on the table, nervous. "They gave me the full story. I figured the doctors would tell me, but I guess not."  
"What...?" Yae didn't want to come out and say it.  
"Why didn't you tell me right away? The truth about last night?" A few tears ran down her cheeks. "I'll kill those men." She whispered. "I won't just hurt them, I'll kill them."  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
"And you don't have to go to school. Stay home and take a break."  
"If I stay home I'll only think about it more. Going to school is the best thing I can do for myself right now. Besides, I have a test coming up."  
"Who cares about the test?"  
"I do. I need to get good grades so I can get into a good college and find a good job so I don't have to be poor anymore." She took a breath, trying to stay calm as a hard lump clung to the back of her throat.  
Yoko looked down at her half-eaten food. "Oh..."  
"Did Chris give you more money? Is that why we're able to eat here?"  
"Yae not now. Having this conversation is not what's important."  
"Sorry for wanting to have a good education and actually learn something." The words stung and Yae knew what she said was very wrong. "I'm sorry." She quickly apologized.  
"It's fine." Yoko ate the rest of her food and finished off her coffee.  
When they finished, the walk to school was quiet, however, Yae knew what her mom was thinking: those men from last night. Yae took in a deep breath, thankful for the clean fresh air.  
"Here we are." Yae stopped at the gates of her school.  
"I'd pick you up from school too, but I'm picking a shift at work today."  
"Mom," Yae was worried more about her mom's health than herself. "Don't work. Just stay home and rest."  
Yoko raised a brow. "I'll stay home if you do."  
Yae bit her lower lip. "Okay, fine. You win. Go to work, but if you start getting tired, go straight home."  
Yoko quickly leaned in and hugged her daughter. "I love you. And stop worrying about me." She whispered in her ear.  
Students passed by while this happened, making Yae a little embarrassed.  
"Okay okay. I love you, too." Yae gently freed herself from her mom's embrace.  
"I'll have Chris pick you up instead."  
Yae fought back the urge to protest. Instead, she sighed. "Okay."

As Yae entered the building, switching from her outdoor shoes to her indoor sneakers, she spotted a familiar face by the staircase.  
"Shishio Tsukasa." Yae walked up to him.  
Tsukasa leaned against the wall, hands stuffed into his pockets. "Sawa." He bowed his head, greeting her.  
"Thank you...for what you did."  
"I did what anyone should have done." He gave her a concerning look. "Why are you at school?"  
Yae bit her lower lip again. "Coming to school is the best way to keep my mind off things."  
"Hmm."  
"Walk with me to class?" Yae offered.  
Tsukasa said nothing, only pushed himself off the wall, and walked up the stairs with Yae.  
"Do you have someone to walk home with today? Or anyone picking you up?"  
Yae thought back to Chris. "My mom's boyfriend."  
Tsukasa raised a brow. "I see."  
Yae had never opened up about her personal life, so of course, Tsukasa had no idea that she was without a father.  
Before stepping into her class, Tsukasa said, "I must apologize for not getting to you sooner. I had seen you in the crowd walking. I tried to catch up but lost sight of you in the crowd."  
"This isn't your fault, Shishio."  
"Call me Tsukasa."  
Yae pretended her nose itched to hide her red cheeks. What he said embarrassed her. "Of course, Tsukasa."  
"And if you don't want your mom's boyfriend to take you home, I will. I'll keep you safe, so you don't have to worry anymore. All right?"  
Yae nodded. "Thank you again."  
"I'll be waiting by the tree in the courtyard of the school. Find me there after school, and I'll walk you home. You're a good person, Yae. You deserve better."  
Yae nodded again. "Of course. Thank you so much." She quickly wiped away a rouge tear from the corner of her eye.  
Tsukasa slid the door open for Yae, and he was on his way to his class.

The day proceeded as normal, and Yae was thankful for that. She spoke with her classmates and did her best to interact with them more. She wanted to bury the numbness and feel something. Perhaps getting closer to the kids in her school would help heal her pain. She was going to do her best to not be shy anymore and be more outspoken. But that day never came, not until 3700 years later when she broke free from the petrification.  
Yae remembered everything now; she remembered standing near the doorway, Senku's back toward her. Her last thought before freezing in time was wondering what Senku was thinking.  
_I want to get inside your head. I want to know what it is you are thinking. Are you thinking about me too?_  
And then the green light appeared and engulfed the entire human race in stone. But that was not the end for Yae. She stood frozen, staring at the back of Senku's head for the next couple thousand years. She was so close to him, yet never within his reach.  
_Singing. I'll sing. _Thought Yae. _I'm so sleepy, but I know I shouldn't lose consciousness. Something in my gut is telling me to stay awake!_  
So she sang for the next 3700 years. Some songs she made up, others she lost count how many times she had sung them. And when she woke, the trauma of everything forced her to forget everything but her name—even Senku.

Senku took great care to choose his next choice of words very carefully as Yae finished telling him everything. He wasn't sure if he should touch her, or say anything at all. But he figured not saying anything would be worse. So he bent over and whispered into Yae's ear. "I love you." Even though it wasn't like Senku at all to be so forward, those were the words she needed to hear the most.  
"I love you too." Her voice was scratchy from all the talking.  
Senku laid on his side and pressed himself against Yae's back, one arm wrapped around her, and the other laying under his head. "I still consider myself your first."  
Yae sobbed quietly. She knew what he meant by that. Before she had retained her memories, at the time, Senku was the first and would be the only one to ever be one with her—intimate and passionate. They were no longer children; they hadn't been for a long time.  
"Please don't tell Kohaku or anyone else."  
"Of course I won't."  
"Kohaku would make it her mission to find those men, and cure them of the petrification just so she could kill them."  
"Probably," said Senku. "But you don't have to worry about that because I won't tell her. I won't tell anyone just like you asked." He kissed the back of her neck. Behind that soft kiss was a burning rage for the men who had hurt Yae. If he ever did meet those men, he wouldn't kill them, but there would definitely be a severe price to pay. But perhaps Tsukasa had already put an end to them, that is if he already found them and crushed their stone bodies to bits. For once, Senku was glad for Tsukasa's help, but as Yae had said, he was late, and the damage had been done. At least he was right about one thing: no one was ever going to hurt Yae again.

**Author's note: Oh my God! This chapter was so hard to write. Didn't help that my keyboard broke too. I wrote part of this on my phone (I hate writing on my phone****. Also, the part about Yoko throwing blood actually happened to my sister. That was some scary shit****). But now it's fixed, so yay! **  
**By the way, how is everyone doing? The coronavirus is no joke, huh. I hope you're all safe and in good health. I'm doing fine. However, work hasn't stopped for me. I work at one of the busiest Airports for Delta here in the States. If you have done any flying in the past year, chances are I have handled your luggage. Haha! What a thought. **  
**Oh! Just FYI. I will be taking a small break from this fanfic to read the manga online. I also need to work on other stories of mine that I have been severely neglecting.**  
**Anyway, as always...please leave a review...**


	22. Bonus Chapter!

**Author's note: **  
**I thought it would be nice to write a chapter where the stone world never happened. What would Senku's and Yae's relationship be like if they were just regular high school kids? This bonus chapter depicts just that. **  
**Enjoy!**

Yae awoke early one crisp autumn morning with hope.  
Sunday. The one day where she was free to do whatever she pleased—the day she and Senku had their date! Er—their friendly outing. It wasn't exactly a date. Senku never actually called it that, but to Yae, date sounded better.

**Flashback to earlier that week**

It was just after the final bell rang, and after most everyone went home. Senku walked the halls of the schools, hands shoved in his pants pockets and a determined look on his face. He turned to face a door and slid it out without hesitation. There, Yae sat at her desk, head down and working hard on her studies.  
Senku slid the door closed and walked over to stand in front of Yae's desk. He looked down at her for a few seconds before clearing his throat. His younger classmate was so engrossed with her homework that she was completely oblivious to his presence. Again, he cleared his throat, but louder this time.  
Yae stopped her fast scribbling writing and slowly looked up at Senku. Her glasses slipped forward, hugging the tip of her nose. "Oh, Ishigami Kun." She took her index finger and pushed her glasses up only for them to slowly fall forward again.  
Usually, cool-headed Senku didn't have a problem talking to people, but this time it was different. Besides Taiju or Yuzuriha, Senku didn't spend time with anyone else outside of school. "How are you, Sawa Chan?"  
Yae closed her text book and put her pin back into her utensil pouch. She shifted in her seat, hands resting on her lap. "I'm doing just fine. How are you, Ishigami Kun?"  
Senku bowed his head slightly. "I'm good, thank you." There was an awkward silence between the two of them. The uncomfortable silence dragged on longer that the young scientist wanted it to. "Are you studying for the test?"  
Yae nodded. "Yes. It's next week, after all. Although, I'm sure with how smart you are, this test will be easy."  
Senku shrugged, slipping his hands out from his pants pocket and crossing his arms. He leaned back on the chair behind him. "All that studying can be draining at times."  
This confused Yae. Normally her upper classman couldn't get enough studying. She thought this behavior of his was rather odd and she cocked her head to the side. "Are you bored?" It was the only thing she could think of that would make sense to what he just said.  
"I guess you could say that." Senku answered.

Another awkward pause was shared between them.  
"Was there anything else?" asked Yae.  
It was now or never. If Senku left without finishing what he set out to do, then this cumbrous moment would forever be engraved into his memory—and quite possibly Yae's, too. "What are you plans this Sunday?"  
Yae's eyes shifted from side to side, thinking. Then, she looked back up at him and said, "Nothing. Why?"  
"My old man is out for special training for his job." Senku didn't want to elaborate on the fact that his dad was going to space. He didn't want the attention. "Yes, it is important to study for this test, but you also don't want to burn yourself out over it. It's good for the brain to have some fun, don't you agree?"  
Yae nodded once. "Yes." And she paused, head cocking to the opposite side. "What are you trying to say?"  
At first, Senku was thinking a park would be nice; easy, cheap and a nice atmosphere. But then he thought that something like that would get boring pretty quickly, and reconsidered his ideas. "This Sunday, let's go to Teamlab Borderless." It was cheaper than Tokyo Disneyland and with the weather cooling down, especially at night, being inside seemed like the logical thing to do."  
A small smile teased the corners of Yae's mouth. "That does sound like fun. Sure, let's go. Will anyone else be joining us?"  
Luckily, Senku had thought that far, in which case, he was prepared to give her an answer. "No. I'd ask Taiju to come along, but that big oaf needs to study his ass off if he wants to pass."  
Yae chuckled somewhat at this. "You're probably right." And then her cheery face dropped to a somber frown. "Unfortunately, Ishigami Kun, I have no money to go on this fun little escapade."  
"I'll pay." The words came out of his mouth and reached Yae's ears before he had the chance to shove it all back into his mouth._ Shit._ He thought.  
A tinge of pink played across Yae's face. "What? Oh, no that's okay. You don't have to do that." She waved her hands out in front of her in a nervous attempt to stop Senku from spending any money on her.  
"It's fine. Trust me." He looked her straight in the eyes, searching for any sign that Yae would suddenly bolt from this idea and turn him down flat. "What good is money if it just sits there? It's meant to be used. So, let's use it to have fun."  
Yae's tensed body eased somewhat; the tension in her shoulders dropping. "Okay. If you say so, then yes, Let's go to Teamlab Borderless."  
Senku smirked. Success! "Great. Let's meet at the Owl Cafe for lunch."  
"Wait, what? Lunch?" Yae was taken off guard.  
Senku leaned forward and pushed Yae's glasses back up her nose. "Twelve O'clock. Be there, or be square."

**Fast forward to Sunday**

Yae was pleased—no, she was thrilled that Senku asked her to spend Sunday with him. She tried to think of it as nothing more than just two classmates hanging out, but the idea of them going on a date teased her to absolutely no end. She brought her blanket up to her face and squealed with happiness. She hadn't been this happen in a long time, and she was grateful for the change.

As she got out of bed and readied herself for the day, Yae made sure to scrub herself down and soak in the tub for longer than usual. She wanted to be squeaky clean and smell like spring flowers. Instead of putting her hair into the same old boring braid, she took the time to blow it dry and part her hair evenly down the middle. Her black hair was smooth and shiny, just the look she was hoping to get; that made her happy too.  
Everything was going according to plan. So far, her Sunday morning was going perfectly. And she made her way through her apartment, choosing to stay in her bathrobe for the time being. It was then that she could smell food. Her mom was home and cooking breakfast.  
"Good Morning, little love." Yoko chirped as she set a plate of food down on the table. "Just in time."  
Yae took a seat, her mouth watering. "Thank you, mom."  
Yoko smiled, prepping a plate for herself and then joined her daughter at the table. "You're in a good mood today."  
"I'm going to hang out with a friend."  
This was music to Yoko's ears. She was glad to know her daughter would be spending her day outside with friends, rather than keeping herself cooped up inside the house all day. "That's great to hear."  
Yae nodded. "Yeah, I'm meeting Ishigami Kun for lunch, and then we're going to Teamlab Borderless."  
"Ishigami?" Yoko started. "You mean, that really smart kid?" Yae nodded, chowing down on her eggs and rice. Yoko failed to hide her grin. She was happy for her daughter.

After breakfast, Yae spent the remainder of her morning trying to find something to wear. It was the beginning of Autumn, so the days were still fairly warm, but during the night it could get chilly.  
_What to wear, what to wear._ Yae rummaged through her closet, but most of her clothes were plain looking, not cute. She didn't think she'd ever be going on a date. Yae decided it was best to chose multiple layers. That way, if she got too warm she could take a layer off. She dug deeper into her closet, discovering clothes she hadn't worn in years. Either she was was too little to fit into them at the time, or they had been lost in safe-keeping and forgotten about.

The first thing Yae pulled out was a simple white dress that was buttoned up in the front. The sleeves were short, so Yae pulled out a thin navy blue open sweater that was tied together by a single string. But the thin sweater would not be enough to keep her warm at night, so she fished around a bit more and pulled out a tan colored cotton sweater. It was long, reaching almost to the bottom of her white dress. There was nothing to close the front as it stayed open to show off what she wore underneath. Lastly, she pulled out a few boxes of shoes and found a pair of ankle-high boots. They were white and caramel colored, and the black tights she wore underneath saved her the trouble of finding matching socks. And to complete her look, she wore a slouching pale pink knitted beanie hat.

By the time Yae finished dressing, it was nearly noon. She said goodbye to her mom and rushed out the door. All that running was making her work up another appetite. She did not want to be late for her first lunch with Senku and managed to make it there just in time. Senku was waiting inside next to the window. He was petting one of the many owls.  
"Hello." Yae bowed, greeting Senku.  
"Hello." Senku bowed back in respect to his younger classmate. He also noticed that she was a little out of breath. "Everything all right?"  
Yae nodded, slowing her breathing. "Yes, Thank you. I lost track of time and didn't want to be late." She told him honestly. She eyed his choice of clothes. It was strange to see him outside of his school uniform. However, the red sweater he wore over his white collared shirt made him look more handsome than usual.

Meanwhile, Senku had a hard time tearing his gaze away from her. She looked super cute and seeing her with her hair down and free from the braid made her almost unrecognizable. He wanted to tell her to keep her hair down more often, but the strain in his throat kept him from doing so. He swallowed hard, hoping Yae didn't notice. "I already have a seat for us." He stepped to the side, ushering her forward with a wave of his hand.  
The two ordered their food and drink within minutes of sitting. The atmosphere the cafe gave off was a cozy and earthy feel, perfect for the weather they were having that day.  
No words needed to be exchanged as they ate their lunch. They were perfectly content just how they were and didn't need words to fill the silence.

Every once in a while Yae glanced over at Senku. Simply having him next to her sent a fuzzy feeling through her whole body.  
_Stop it Yae. Senku is just your friend. This is not a date; just two friends hanging out. Nothing special._  
But it was special, that much was true. She only wished she knew what Senku was thinking. If nothing more ever became of them after this day, Yae was okay with that. She considered herself lucky to be able to spend even a single day with him. Only after finishing her meal did she notice that she had forgot her money. She had meant to bring it, and the image of her hand bag sitting on her bed made her feel sick.

A soft electronic beep brought Yae back to her senses and saw Senku paying the bill by credit card and then put it back in his wallet before slipping it back into his front pants pocket. Yae's mouth hung ajar, shocked and embarrassed all at the same time. Senku did say he would pay for them to go to Teamlab, so the fact that he paid for their food shouldn't have come as a surprise to her. But still...

After lunch, the two friends made their way to Kasai Rinkai Park. It wasn't too terrible far from the cafe, plus the exercise would do them good after eating so much food. There was plenty of space for them to walk around freely and talk comfortably without letting anyone else overhear their conversation. The only thing that could possible pull their attention away from each other was the scenery.  
"You're right." Said Yae.  
"About what?"  
"Having some fun instead of cramming for a test. It's a nice break." She smiled contentedly.  
Senku chuckled. "Of course I'm right."  
Yae looked up at him, one brow raised. "And I bet you're feeling mighty proud of yourself."  
This time Senku let out a nervous laugh by accident. "A little bit." He admitted.

A gust of wind rushed passed them, sending a shiver down both their spines. Yae's hair flew around, strands of it getting in her face. Senku reached forward and pinned those strands behind her ear. Suddenly, the sun poked out from the cloud it was hiding behind and the light made her brown eyes glow a golden amber color. The warmth of the sun wrapped around them, fighting off whatever chill remained.  
The two stared at each other. It was only for a moment, but in those few seconds it seemed longer. Senku searched Yae's face for an answer that would lead to a reason for this feeling of being hypnotized, but he found none. He shook his head, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, and he turned away, continuing to walk.  
Yae took a quick step forward to catch up and walked beside Senku. "Is there something on my face?"  
Senku stopped long enough to say, "Yeah." And he pulled her beanie hat over her eyes. "Your hat."  
"AH!" Yae quickly fixed her hat and rushed after Senku. "So mean!" She said, although she was only joking, of course.

To save on time, Senku paid their way to take a bus to Teamlab Borderless. By the time they arrived, the sun was just starting to set, its warm rays reaching them right before entering the building. When it came time to leave the sun would be down, and the night sky would cover them like a blanket, but for now, they were about to set their eyes on something very magical.  
The giant balloons and white streaming lights had Yae forgetting all about the test, her problems at home, and the rest of the world. Right now it was just her and Senku in this place. They walked through the canola flowers, its warm yellow colors reminding Yae of spring; the cherry blossom lanterns heating her cheeks with giddy excitement.  
"This way." Senku grabbed her hand, gently pulling her along. "There's something really cool I think you should see." What he was about to show her, he had never seen himself, but he had looked at it on the internet and thought it would be the perfect place to...He pushed those thoughts from his mind and led the way without saying another word. If he started thinking about it now he would lose his bravery and this whole day and the thing he set out to do would have been for naught.

Flowers.  
The layered ultra-subjective space a transcending room of flowers. The images on the walled mirrors overlapped each other in such a way it was like they were standing in middle of sea of flowers, becoming one with the scenery as the images danced across their bodies.

Thankfully, they were the only two in the room. Senku hadn't planned for it happen but grasped the opportunity tightly in his hands.  
"Your name," Senku suddenly said. "I means many layers, or better known in reference to flowers. So, together, your name means 'many flowers'."  
Yae would have never thought that on her own. Leave it to Senku to know something so random. "Y-you're right." Said Yae. She blushed as the flowers started changing shape.  
Senku stepped closer—too close, but Yae didn't mind. In secret, she was hoping something like this would happen. "Yae," he said her first name. "Can I call you that?"  
Yae blushed even harder and gave him one small nod. "Y-yes, you can. Can I call you Senku?"  
Senku's eyes softened to small slits as he smiled back. "Yeah, of course."

Senku's palms were starting to sweat. He rarely got nervous, but this was completely different. He had no experience when it came to girls, and he one chance to make this go the way he wanted, otherwise it was game-over for him.  
Another rogue strand of hair escaped from behind Yae's ear again, and he tucked it back into place. His fingertips graced her cheeks, stopping at her chin. He rubbed his thumb gently over her chin and lifted her head ever so slightly to get a better look at her face. Petals of flowers flowed over her face and shadows bounced around as the lighting constantly changed. Senku leaned forward, planting a kiss on her forehead. He pressed his lips against her soft skin to stop the trembling of his lips; she was warm.

Senku leaned back just enough to look down at her. Her eyes were still closed as she clenched the side of her dress. Senku smirked; she obviously wasn't pushing him away, just too shy.  
"Hey," Senku's voice was low and soft. Yae opened one eye and dared herself to look up at Senku. He was still smiling. "Why do you think I went through the effort to spend the day with you?" Yae opened her other eye and stared awe-struck up at him, speechless. Seeing as she wasn't able to respond, Senku chuckled at this. He should have expected his shy classmate to react this way. But now it was time to take the next step, and Senku braced himself for the final moment. "Yae, I brought you here today to ask you something."  
"What is it?" she asked with a dazed expression.  
"I would like for us to go steady."  
"Meaning...?"  
Senku sucked in a breath. She was going to make him come out right and say it, wasn't she? "I want to take our relationship to the next level. I want to be more than friends."  
"More than friends..." Yae repeated him.  
This time, Senku lightly grasped her shoulders and said, "I want you to be my girlfriend, Yae."  
Yae was silent for a long moment as she processed what Senku had just confessed to her. "Yes." She finally answered.  
The heat in Senku's face subsided and the air around him became breathable again. He trailed his hands down the sides of her arms and stopped at her hands where held on to them. He rested his head on hers, the tip of their noses touching.  
_One...two...three..._  
Senku put his lips to hers, allowing himself to enjoy this simple, yet sensational feeling to take him over.

The flowers continued to skip around them as they held their kiss—an innocent and memorable first kiss. In a perfect world, Senku would hold on to this moment, and so would Yae; in a perfect world they would live their lives together peacefully.  
In a perfect world that lived on in their memories.  
A world that no longer longer existed...

**Author's note:**  
**I wrote this chapter for a friends birthday. NippyKate10 is her username on Archive. She has a Dr Stone story too. It's called Into The Woods. Check it out!**  
**Also, please leave a review.**


	23. Chapter twenty-two

Yae awoke the next morning with Senku's arm still wrapped around her. It was comforting the way he held her from behind in his sleep. And she'd never tell him just in case he'd stop doing it. He was still sound to sleep when Yae carefully peeled his arm off her.  
She sat up, rubbing her face and picking the sleep from her eyes. The sting from crying was still there, and she reached over to grab the cloth sitting in the bowl of water. The coolness of the water soothed her aches somewhat, but her heart still hurt.  
_I won't let it eat me up inside. I'm stronger than that! _

After she washed her face, she stood up slowly and walked over to a small rack of weapons: a sword, a few daggers, and a spear. These all belonged to her seeing as Senku never had a need for them. Yae stared at each weapon, trying to decide which one she would keep on her person. Her loose strands of hair tickled her face. Her braid was messy and reached to her lower back. It got in the way a lot while practicing with Kohaku.  
It was decided then; Yae reached for the dagger, the one Kohaku gave her when she first arrived in the village.  
"Yae...?" Senku sat up slowly, his mouth opening wide and a long, drawn-out yawn followed after. "How are you feeling?"  
Yae turned the dagger this way and that, the blade glimmering. "Oh, I'm okay."  
"Just okay?" Yae nodded, and Senku grunted in response. He ran his fingers through his hair a couple of times and cocked his head to each side, his neck cracking. "Why not take it easy today. The rest of us can handle today's chores." Yae didn't respond. "Yae?"  
"Okay, sounds good." Her voice remained monotone, and she lifted her braid and the blade, slicing it off at the nape of her neck.  
Senku gawked at her. He was speechless.

Finally, Yae looked over him with the faintest smile on her face and said, "Well, how do I look?"  
Senku blinked once, then twice, and said, "You look great." And he gave her a thumbs up. He stood, stretching his arms and legs. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
Yae nodded. "Yes." She looped a belt around her waist and sheathed her dagger. "I can't sit around feeling sorry for myself. I have to move forward." She stepped closer, planting a small kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for listening, Senku."  
"Of course."  
Yae straightened herself out, feeling more confidant. "You said I could have the day to myself, right?"  
"That's right." Senku nodded.  
"Then I'll be practicing on my own today in the forest. Don't worry. I can take care of myself." She handed him her braid.  
"What am I supposed to do with this?"  
A small grumble slipped through Yae's lips. "Doing something like this is considered to be sentimental, but I guess that's not like you, huh."  
Senku grinned. "Right, forever the heartless scientist."  
Yae ran a hand through her short hair, enjoying the feeling of freedom the weight. "Burn it, keep it, I don't care." With that, she walked out.

It wasn't long before Senku emerged from his place of residence and spotted Asagiri making his way toward him.  
"Ah, Asagiri. What brings you my way so early in the morning?"  
The mentalist grinned, delighted that Senku took an interest in asking. "I'm so pleased you already know that I have something to tell you." He brought a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Stellar work yesterday. And I'm glad I have you alone, I couldn't bear for those pure-hearted, earnest souls to hear this. Like dear Kinro and Kokuyo. By the way, how is Yae doing? Is she still asleep?"  
Senku laughed. "Something tells me your schemes gotta be pretty nasty. And she's fine. She left before me to go practice her fighting."  
"Sharp as ever! And its good to hear that. But what I came to tell you is this: what we need is a record player and a pair of cell phones." His attitude suddenly changed mischievously. "If this works, dear Tsuaka's empire will be ours without any bloodshed." Senku liked the idea already. "We can save all seven billion! But in exchange, if there really is a God watching us, then we will be condemning ourselves to an eternity in Hell!"  
This made Senku laugh. He hadn't heard a joke that funny in a long while. "Don't sweat it. God's been absent from the world of science for a good ten billion years. So lemme hear it mentalist!"  
Asagiri was so pleased to know how excited Senku was getting. "I know you're a busy man, so later tonight in then, at the observatory."

Later that day, once Yae had her fill of wild berries, she got back into training. She easily remembered all the correct footing and forms that Kohaku had shown her and followed through with them effortlessly. She swung her dagger this way and that, her blows coming down hard each time. And every swing she made, it cut through the wind like a sliver.  
CLASH!  
Her dagger collided with Kohaku's.  
"OH! Kohaku!" Yae quickly took a step back.  
The lioness smiled. "Don't let me stop you. C'mon, let's keep at it!"

The two spared with each other for a good twenty minutes before finally stopping, both of them a little out of breath. "Your skills have improved greatly. Pretty soon, you won't need me anymore." She sheathed her dagger.  
Yae laughed. "What are you talking about? I'll always need you." She suddenly realized what she said, and her face went red from embarrassment. "I mean, you're my friend. You're like a sister to me." She thought of her father and the daughters he had in America. Kohaku had American blood in her too.  
Kohaku crossed her arms, a tender smile spreading across her face. "In a way we, are like family. Maybe not directly, but Senku is our ancestor, and since he has taken you to be his partner, you're part of the family too."  
"That's a really nice thought."  
"It's true!" Said Kohaku. "And don't you forget it." Her voice became soft again. "Yae, what happened yesterday? Are you okay? Nice Haircut by the way."  
Yae wiped the sweat from her forehead and put her dagger away. "I'm fine." She ran her fingers through her hair again. It was going to take time to get used to short hair. "Really, I am."  
Kohaku did not look convinced. "You remembered your life from 3700 years ago, and you say it's nothing. I know you're not a liar, Yae."  
"What do you want me to tell you, then?"  
Kohaku shrugged. "You don't have to tell me anything, but don't lie to my face and tell me you're fine because I know you're not." She walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her friend. "The village cares about you, Yae. Remember that."  
This was rare, Kohaku's embrace and Yae never took it for granted, not even for a second. "Thank you, Kohaku."

When evening arrived, and Yae returned to her and Senku's hut, she found him nowhere and decided to look for him. It was fairly easy to find him, and her assumptions were correct when she heard mumbling up in the observatory. She stepped inside and found Chrome with his ear pressed against the ceiling.  
"What are you doing?" She whispered.  
Chrome waved her over. "Senku and Asagiri are planning something." He whispered back.  
"Really?" She pressed her ear to the ceiling and listened in.  
"A quiz," came Asagiri's voice. "On the key to Tsuaka's empire. What is that holds that empire together? What keeps those people united? Food? Beauty? Or dear Tsukasa himself?"  
Senku chuckled. "The answer is C, right?"  
"Bingo! Ten billion points for you! As the strongest primate high schooler, he was already a charismatic celebrity."  
"And your point to all this is..." Senku wondered out loud.  
"We need to bring him down." Asagiri rubbed his throat, his voice changing to a higher pitch. "We need someone just as famous. A charismatic icon of our own. Hi! I'm Lillian Weinberg!"  
Senku choked on his spit.

Down below, Yae looked at Chrome. "He sounds just like Miss Lillian." Chrome nodded.  
Asagiri continued. "I can play the part. A bit. Though I fear it's not good enough."  
"No, that was good," Senku told him. "You're quite the impressionist, but it's still ten billion percent obvious you're a dude."  
Asagiri sighed. "Exactly. However, with that rough sound quality, and me talking over our phone..."  
"So the record song serves as proof!" Senku was getting excited.  
"Bingo! One-hundred billion points! They'll hear the raw recording dear Lillian's voice over the phone. With her fantastic singing, they'll really think it's her."  
"Well," said Senku. "It was really her."  
"They'll be convinced that on the other side, Lillian the Diva is alive and well."  
"So in order to win those guys over with false hope, we're creating a zombie Lillian and telling one whopper of a lie." He laughed. "We really will go to Hell for this."  
Asagiri was surprised to see Senku so ready to create such an elaborate lie. "So you're totally cool with this?"  
"Oh yeah, sounds good. Let's hammer out the details later. Plan approved!"  
"Just like that? So quick!"

Yae and Chrome could no longer take being left out and they burst their up into the Observatory.  
Chrome yelled, "I get it! But not really! I'm still totally in the dark."  
Yae rubbed her hands together to warm them and stood next to Senku. "You little sneak. I'm totally in."  
Chrome's mouth suddenly dropped. "Your hair!"  
"Hah! You now just noticed?"  
"Anyway," said Senku. "Let me break it down for you, young apprentice, step-by-step. First, I have to get the cell phone to Taiju and Yuzuriha. Second, have them show it to Tsuaka's army in secret. The third step, play dear Lillian's song over the phone. And four, fool them all!"  
"So," Yae started. "The only thing keeping them tied to Tsukasa is them thinking the old world was destroyed."  
"It was," said Gen. "But they don't know that."  
Senku went on. "Plus, if America's back in action and sending the military to help Japan, then that changes everything for everyone."  
"And once most of Tsukasa's empire turns on him, and Taiju relays the massage for us..." Yae let the idea float up in the air.  
"We rush in and take over! All without ever spilling a drop of blood." Senku said excitedly.  
"OHHH! But wait, then they'll figure out you lied!" Chrome seemed concerned, but Asagiri and Senku on the other hand didn't care.  
"Whatever!" Said Asagiri. "So long as we take down dear Tsuaka and Hyoga, the rest will work itself out."  
"It's ten billion percent the sort of slow-down, underhanded plan I'd expect from our mentalist." Senku cackled. "Get excited!"  
"But what about after all is said and done?" Yae wanted to know.  
Asagiri was glad to fill her in. "In the aftermath, the Tsukasa empire will be out for blood, but only mine and dear Senku's. That's just how it is."  
Yae crossed her arms. "Over my dead body!"  
Senku rested a hand on her shoulder. "Keep this a secret from the other villagers, okay? Then the only villians'll be us two past-timers."  
"Sure," said Chrome. "But now that Yae and I have heard the plan, that makes us accomplices."  
"Hey, you two are the ones that came barging in."  
Chrome stuck out his fist. "Well, I was always gonna be part of the mission team!"  
"Me too!" Said Yae. "Don't even think about trying to get rid of me now."  
"Yeah," Chrome went on. "Someone with technical skills has gotta be on site to set up that big old phone. Better me than you, Senku, with your cracked face!"  
Everyone joined their fists together. They were going to march into Hell together. But the pay-off was going to save seven billion lives!

On the way back to the hut, Senku threw off his heavy coat and collapsed on the fur-covered bed. Yae made sure to feed her hawk before getting cozy with Senku.  
"How's he doing?" Senku asked, referring to the hawk.  
Yae patted her now trained hawk on the head. "He's a good lil guy."  
"Is he trained well enough to send secret messages?" Senku yawned, barely able to keep his eyes open.  
Yae nodded nonchalantly. "Kind of. He follows me and Furo out into the forest and keeps an eye on us. I may take him with me when we leave for Tsukasa's empire."  
"That's nice." Senku rolled over on his side, his front facing Yae.  
With one last gentle pat on the head, Yae let her hawk rest. Everyone was going to have a busy day tomorrow. After that, she put on more comfortable clothes and slipped into bed. Senku was already asleep. This allowed Yae the opportunity to touch him softly; it was something he rarely let her do to him unless they were making love. The young scientist was always so serious, even when they were alone, but he was getting better at that.  
Yae tucked a stray hair behind his ear, moving slowly as to not wake him from his slumber. She loved him so much. And despite her life so many years ago, Yae was happy to be alive. Everything that happened to her brought her here to him. She leaned in, kissing him on the lips. Senku twitched, and Yae paused where she was, her nose almost touching his.  
Finally, she lay her head down, staring at Senku's sleeping face for just a moment before losing consciousness.  
_I want to spend every day with you, Senku. I love you._

The following day the plan was set in motion. Asagiri, Senku, and Yae put together the parts while the rest of the team got ready for the mission. Yae kept a hat over head to hide her hair, not wanting the attention from her lack of locks. This was far more important. She would surprise the rest of the village later.  
"Now, the first hurdle is carting the finished cellphone over to Taiju and Yuzuriha. We need a team of four people for that mission." Began Senku. "Chrome, the engineer. Yae, the swift one. Magma, the hauler. And Gen, who will be your guide." Senku mapped it all out for them. Their goal was to reach Tsukasa empire's base, near what used to be Tokyo."  
"Hah!" Kohaku laughed. "One big problem, though. What about Tsukasa's scout, Homura?"  
"Kohaku has a point." Agreed Yae. "Go on." She urged her.  
"Well, judging from the tree branches missing now, we can assume she kept watch from over near that hill."  
"How can you see that far?" Ginro was impressed.  
"How is that possible?" Kinro strained his eyes to see further.  
"She picked a good spot." Said Senku. "Straight on the path to Tsukasa's empire."  
Kokuyo stepped forward. "If our team marches toward enemy territory with all those supplies, the scout is sure to pursue them."  
Kohaku nodded. "Right. She'll figure we're planning a primitive strike, no doubt. Then it would be all for naught!"  
Ginro suddenly got scared, completely second-guessing this entire plan, so he tried to think of something else. "What if they sneak out in the dead of night?"  
Chrome shut him down. "We'll be hauling vacuum tubes and stuff. What if we trip and fall, and they break?"  
"Could you outpace her, perhaps?" Kohaku pitched the idea.  
Magma fired. "Lugging this? No way, idiot!"  
"I'm afraid dear Homura is as fast as Kohaku and Yae."  
"Ugh." Senku groaned. "Talk about a dilemma." But Senku was quick to think of another solid plan. "We'll use a shocking science item to lure Homura from her position. That's when the team heads out."

The plan was to shoot an electric current through water to get hydrogen and oxygen to bubble out. Brown's gas was the name of the mixture. It would need to be pumped into a deer's bladder to make a balloon. The explosion wouldn't pack much a punch but would be loud as hell. In other words, sound bombs!  
It was now or never to make their move as everyone got into position. Yae left with Magma, Gen, and Chrome. If they failed, it would be up to her to carry everything back, or at least what she could salvage, back to the village as quickly as she could. She was also there in case they would be attacked. And her hawk, her trusty little companion, flew high above them just as Yae had commanded.  
They were not going to wait. Instead, they were bringing the battle to Tsukasa's empire. This was the opening volley of the stone wars! And as soon as the bombs went off, Yae took off with her group, hoping the others would not fail on their part, because if they did, that meant serious trouble for all of them.

**Author's note: I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I finally finished writing an original book I'd been working on for the last 3 and half years. So now I can focus on other things. And with all the crazy going on, I think it's the perfect time update and bring some joy to your lives. I'm following the manga now, so bare with me. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. Life is crazy for everyone at the moment. Please take care, and stay safe!**


	24. Chapter twenty-three

Senku's plan fell into motion as the explosion went off.  
"Run!" Senku gave the signal, and Yae, Magma, Gen, and Chrome took off as fast as they could to gain as much ground as possible before Homura noticed. "Do it now while the enemy is distracted by the sound bombs!"  
"We'll deliver that exclusive cellphone even if it kills us!" Chrome assured them.

Magma didn't like the idea they were running away from a fight. "Why do we gotta sneak out like this anyway?"  
"Has the plan gone completely over your head, Magma?" Yae jabbed her finger at him.  
"Homura is likely to pursue us if she spots us," Asagiri explained.  
Chrome spoke up. "We broke our backs making this cellphone. And if our cover's blown, it's all over."  
Magma clenched his fists. "If Homura gets in our way, we'll kill her. There, problem solved!"  
A vein popped over Yae's brow. "You simple-minded..." She didn't bother finishing her insult.  
"Indeed." Said Asagiri. "Though surely this ruse will rouse her from her hiding spot."  
Yae continued to fight deep snow as she walked. She smirked. "If I didn't know any better, Gen, I'd say you were pretty excited about this."  
He chuckled. "Maybe. After all, they're especially wary of our gunpowder, am I right? So after they hear those explosions, the scout will have no choice but to investigate."  
Yae gave him a toothy grin. "I do love a deceitful plan."

Meanwhile, Suika and Kohaku observed the forest up in the observatory.  
"If she shows herself, she'll be somewhere between that hill and the bomb zone."  
A high pitched gasp escaped Suika's mouth. "Suika sees someone moving super fast!"  
Kohaku immediately took action and jumped from the observatory. She took off running like the true lioness she is and sprinted toward Homura, their target.  
The small girl dressed in pink was easy enough to spot in the pure white snow. Kohaku unsheathed her dagger, closing the gap between her and Homura. But Homura saw this and dodged Kohaku's swift attack as she jumped into the air, bending backward effortlessly. If Kohaku wanted to succeed, she would need more than her blade to get the job done.  
"I'm not trying to kill you," Kohaku called out to her.  
Homura didn't even bother glancing back. "I know."  
"Then why don't you just come quietly?" She wanted to know.  
"Why should I?" Homura answered her question with another question.

All of that running and talking was not all for nothing. Kohaku managed to lead her back towards the village.  
"They're coming this way!" Suika called out at the top of her lungs so everyone could hear her.  
Not far from the action, Senku ran at top speed, a device in his hands. He tossed it into the air and aimed it at Homura as she made her way to him. "Curious to know what this is? Turn your peepers this way and stare real hard at my shocking science item level two." He shielded his eyes with safety gear. "The flash grenade!"  
A flash of light lit up the surrounding area, blinding anyone standing too close. Homura fell from her position, blinded. Senku took this as his opportunity and pounced on her.  
"Senku is as weak as a flea, but he did it," Ginro said.  
"Yay! That was so cool, Senku." Suika praised him.  
Homura craned her head to look back at Senku. "Watch where you're touching me!"  
Senku rolled his eyes and smirked. "That won't work on me. After our scientific civilization is up and running, there will be plenty of men you can flirt with there. Besides, I already have someone."  
Homura pursed her lips, none too pleased with the situation.

The hold-down didn't last long though, as Homura quickly, and with ease, gave Senku the slip, quiet literally. The poor scientist's feet flew right over his head, and he landed fast first into the snow.  
"Weak as a flea!" Ginro cried  
Homura dodged passed everyone and jumped back into a tree where she was safe for now.  
"This is not a matter of strength." Said Kokuyo. "It's the way this woman moves!" Everyone looked up at her, dazed and shocked. She started naming off everyone who was there, counting the heads of all those who wished to stop her from doing her job.  
"Where...?" Her voice was caught in her throat as she suddenly realized those who were missing and took off in a mad dash.  
"It seems she figured out that our mission team has moved on." Said Kinro.  
Ginro's eyes grew double in size. "This is real, real bad!"

Homura was out of sight within seconds, and there was no way to track her. The young woman was too quick and nimble.  
"So there's no hope in picking up Homura's scent," Kohaku grumbled. "Chrome and the others should be making a beeline to Tsukasa's empire's home base. It's only a matter of time now before she learns about the cellphones. If she destroys it or even reports back to Tsukasa, we're done for!"  
Kaseki didn't like the sound of that. "No! Not after all our hard work. I can't bear to imagine."  
Kinro pushed his glasses further up his nose. "We must catch her before that happens!"  
"So while Homura is going after them, we'll be chasing down her? Damn...that sounds tough." Ginro was none too excited about this ordeal.  
Senku chuckled. He had another trick up his sleeves. "Not to worry. Our ultimate weapon level three is here!" He brought forth a giant scope with light beaming out of it. When shone ahead, Homura's tracks could be seen.  
"What's that glowing light?" Ginro was fascinated along with everyone else.  
"It shows the route Homura took!" Kinro was impressed.  
"Yes! With this, we can hunt her down!" Kohaku didn't hold back when it came to showing her excitement.  
"There's no time to lose, guys!" Senku pointed forward. "We're in for a fun chase within a chase. Ready, set, go!"  
The game of tag was only just beginning.

Homura bounced from one tree branch to the next. Kohaku was hot on her heels, but always just out of reach. Thankfully the glowing spots made it possible to know exactly where she was going without the use of extreme stamina.  
"These glowing spots really do tell us what path Homura took. This is amazing. Pursuing her will be easy!" The lioness was excited as ever to follow this new glowing trail.  
Little Suika tilted her head to the side, confused. "How're those spots glowing in the first place?"  
Senku laughed. "You guys gotta pay closer attention. You've seen this before.  
"Oh! The twinkling blue jewel!" Suika said.  
"Yep." Senku nodded. "In powder form." He crumpled it further and let it slip through his fingers for demonstration.  
Kohaku's eyes lit up. "Oh, I get it now. You put that all over Homura's hands and feet when you were wrestling with her, huh?"  
"But that stone only shines when hit by the rising sun." Kaseki pointed out.  
"There is a way to replicate that artificially with science." Explained Senku. "It's called black light."  
The group didn't waste a second more and followed the trail Homura left for them.

On their way, there was something that had been weighing down on Kohaku's mind. She approached Senku as she normally did, but this time her gut was yelling at her to speak her mind.  
"Senku, there's something you need to know. Homura's movements are out of the ordinary. Capturing her may not be possible."  
Senku guessed the lioness might bring this up, so he said, "Yeah, Homura is a gymnast. A technique you haven't seen in this era."  
"Hmm." Kohaku thought. "If I stop using the back of my blade, I could easily lop off her head and be done with it." She paused. "Are you okay with killing?"  
Senku looked at her, serious now. "Have you ever killed a person in cold blood before?"  
Hearing those words come out of his mouth shocked Kohaku. "Of course not!" She steadied her voice. "Which is why I would hesitate at that moment. I know this to be a weakness of mine. In order to stifle those qualms, I need total reassurance from you..."  
Senku's cocky grin returned. "Relax. If all goes well, you won't have to use that nasty thing on your side at all. Remember how the whole village slaved away on this? We're hauling this gigantic box out here for a reason."

Once the sun had set and Senku's group made camp, it was finally time to rest. A fire was started to escape the chilling night air, and few skinned rabbits were spiked to roast over the fire.  
"This race is like two games of tag." Said Senku. "Yae and the gang are hauling the other phone with Homura chasing after them, and we're after Homura." He looked around the campfire at his fellow teammates. "Can anyone tell me what happens if we use two radio waves to communicate our positions to each other?"  
Kohaku hopped to her feet. "This game of tag suddenly becomes the perfect pincer attack!"  
Senku laughed. "That's info warfare for ya!"  
Little words were exchanged after that. They ate their meal and headed to bed. They would need their rest if they wanted to catch Homura.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yae and the team were busy setting up a decoy. They had followed through with Senku's plan without a fault. Now, all they had to do was wait. It was clear that Homura was after them, and they would lure her in further bu setting up a fake cell phone. The trap was risky, and they were unsure if it would work. But they couldn't afford to do any second-guessing. With Magma's help, it was easy enough to set it along with Gen's and Yae's careful instructions.  
The finishing touches were set up by Gen.  
"Damn. We're out of luck. Why don't you stick the signal above the treetops, dear Chrome?" asked Gen.

While Chrome was busy setting up the signal, Yae took it upon herself to focus on her surroundings. She could feel Homura's presence. She was close, which didn't surprise Yae. She figured the nimble girl would be able to catch up with them fairly quickly. That meant something else too. Senku and the others were nearby also.

Suddenly, a loud crack from a branch made Yae twirl on her heels and look up from where the sound came from. Past a few trees, Homura was spotted falling. Magma and even Kinro were there to strike down the branch.  
Out of nowhere, Kohaku dashed forward, taking Homura hostage by locking her arms behind her. The catch was a success! Yae rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to make move if Homura escaped. But there was no need. Homura was completely surrounded now. And for a brief moment, Yae locked eyes with Senku. She nodded his way and he returned her gentle gesture.  
Their ultimate weapon for info warfare was finally arriving. Soon they would be at Tsukasa's Empire where the true test for endurance was about to begin.

* * *

As Tsukasa's Empire came into view, so did a feeling of being in a hostile environment.  
"We finally made it!" Cheered Chrome. "The Home Base of Tsukasa."  
"Shh! Keep it down, will ya?" Yae nudged him in the shoulder.  
"Yeah, keep it down!" Gen quickly shushed him. "Some of Tsukasa's followers have excellent hearing."  
"Whoops! Sorry! It would be super bad if we got caught after coming this far, huh?" He took a few steps back, not wanting to within arm's length of Yae or Gen in case they decide to put a muffle on him. But his heart skipped a beat when the back of his head touched a stone figure. "Oh, damn. A whole mountain of fierce-looking statues."  
Magma bent over to examine one of them. "There seems to be something written on them."  
"That must be the number indicating revival priority. I didn't see that the last time I was here."  
Yae swiped out her dagger, her eyes scanning every rock and corner. "This is his army."  
"And look here," said Gen. "The lowest number is thirty-three. Which means he has already revived thirty-two people. Hmm. That's faster than I anticipated."  
Chrome took a good look at all the statues. "So even if we do recruit some of Tsukasa's members, he can just keep reviving new warriors."  
"That seems to be the case." Gen sighed.  
"Then why don't we just smash 'em all to bits?" Magma said. As if that were such an easy task.  
Yae gripped her dagger tighter. "Are you insane?" She shook her head. "No, don't answer that."  
"But what if we just snap off their arms and legs?"  
"Idiot!" Yae hissed. "You'd still be killing them. "Senku doesn't want bloodshed."

Gen and Chrome stared at Magma, sweat drops forming on their foreheads.  
"You truly have no mercy fro your enemies." Said Gen. "But, speaking pragmatically, at the end of the day, destroying them is our best option." Yae gaped at him, and the mentalist could only turn his gaze away from her disappointed stare.  
"Then let's do it!" Magma raised his ax, but Gen and Yae held him back.  
"Just a minute." Said Gen. "These fellows haven't done anything wrong. Maybe they're not villains. Maybe they're different."  
Yae let go of Magma once he loosened his grip on his weapon. "If these guys end up being good, we could use them to our advantage. They could join us."  
Gen nodded in agreement. "Tsukasa's power is incredible. We'll need all the help we can get if we want to stop him."  
"Yeah!" Chrome added, "I can't believe you were going to smash these statues with no regret."  
Hear this confused Magma, and he looked at the other two for an answer. "Huh? I don't owe these people anything!"  
"Hang on. That doesn't make you weak." Chrome told him. "We're aiming to take the high road and win without spilling any blood."  
"Which means," said Yae. "No smashing statues. If we can recruit faster than Tsukasa can replace, then there's a good chance this war between us will be over sooner than we anticipate."  
Chrome bumped his fist with Yae's. "Let's do this! Our mission is to set up the cell phone on the double!" He shared a smile with Yae, and they continued on their way.

The location for setting up the cell phone was a spacious area, but well enough hidden to not cause any suspicion.  
"Here we are!" Gen sang.  
"What's this?" Chrome asked as he stared at the wooden cross before him.  
"It's a grave," Gen answered him.  
Yae gulped. "A grave? For whom?"  
"One of Tsukasa's soldiers?" Magma guessed.  
Gen shook his head. "For our dear Senku, of course." The look in his eyes was ominous.  
Magma's eyed bulged. "Senku's pushing up daisies?"  
Chrome almost choked on air, one brow rising out of annoyance. "No, Senku is obviously still alive. This is just for show to convince Tsukasa. Dumb ass."  
Yae walked up to the cross and touched the top of it. She could hear her heart thumping in her ears. The time when Senku was nearly killed by Tsukasa's hands was something she'd never forget. To think that Senku really could have died and been lying here. If that had happened, would she had ever remembered who she was? The thought couldn't be stopped from crossing her mind.  
"Everything okay, Yae?" Chrome placed a hand on her shoulder.  
She nodded, turning away from the cross. "Yeah. Let's get to work on that cell phone!" She smiled.

Yae and the team worked tirelessly well into the night. She stood above the others with a small light to help see their work better. The light from the moon helped, but the digging they were doing required a bit more lighting to the untrained eye. Doing this would have been a lot easier if Senku was with them, but he, unfortunately, wasn't, and so their work took even longer.  
"A brilliant plan, truly." Said Chrome as he covered the wire with dirt. "It's only natural to speak to the dead when visiting a grave."  
"Senku said to bury eighty-percent underground." Said Yae.  
Chrome nodded as he continued to dig, but a stone suddenly got in his way. "Ah, shit. What now?" He scratched his head.  
Before anyone else could speak their idea, Magma rushed in and smashed the rock with his ax.  
"You moron!" Yae bonked him on the head.  
"Try thinking for once!" Gen almost screamed.  
"Hurry!" Said Chrome. "Bury it nice and deep!"

The four of the scuttled away once their job was finished. They hid behind a few large boulders and waited for a sign.  
"Phew! It looks like nobody is on to us." Chrome heaved a heavy sigh of relief.  
Magma crossed his arms and scoffed. "You guys scare too easily."  
"I wouldn't speak so soon." Gen cautioned them. "One of Tsukasa's men has super amazing hearing."

From the distance, Yae heard a whistling sounding coming closer and fast.  
"Duck!" She pushed down on Gen's shoulders right before an arrow stuck to the straw basket he carried on his back. His eyes seemed to pop out of his skull out of fear. A subtle nod toward Yae let her know he was internally grateful.  
Dawn was quickly approaching as they high-tailed it out of there and someplace with better coverage.  
"Run like hell!" Said Gen. They took off before whoever was hot on their heels could make their presence known. Their job setting up the cell phone was finished, but now they had a bigger problem to deal with.

**Author's note: This chapter contained three chapters of volume 8 in the manga. I can continue to do it that way, unless you want me to update two chapters of the manga at a time. I would update faster but the chapters would be shorter. Let me know what you think I should do. I've had little motivation these days. Send help! **


	25. Chapter twenty-four

**Author's Note: There will be a few things from the manga I will not write about just so I can move the story along faster and not bore everyone. I want to focus on what is happening with Yae right now. If you have read the manga, then you already know what Senku is doing at this time...which is talking to Taiju for the first time in a year.  
Let's continue...**

Yae, Chrome, Asagiri Gen, and Magma had run until nearly out of breath before finding a suitable hiding place. Whoever was chasing them would not give up so easily. The knot in Yae's stomach warned her as much.  
"Why are we sneaking around in the bushes!" Magma roared. His brows furrowing and his cheeks burning red.  
Yae turned on him. Her cheeks were also sharing a shade of red. "Shut the hell up!" Her whisper came out as forcefully as she could manage without yelling. She held her dagger to Magma's throat.  
At first, Magma was shocked. He truly didn't think Yae had it in her to kill him. But as he smirked, he no sooner realized that he was right. Yae's threat was an empty one; she'd never kill him. "You're not going to kill me." His voice was lower, but the over-cockiness in his voice knew no bounds.  
Yae raised one dark brow. "No, I won't." Her blade pressed against his throat harder. "But I sure as hell will damage your throat bad enough, you won't be able to talk for a week. Now be quiet!"  
Magma glared at her. He believed her words.

Gen waved his head to get everyone's attention. "Ahem! The enemy is dear Ukyo. This guy has super hearing."  
A light gasp came from Chrome. "Then where we're hiding a bad place!"  
Gen grimaced at the sudden rustle when Chrome came to his realization. "Bingo." He said. "This is sure to get us got with all this racket."  
"You mean..." Said Yae.  
Gen nodded weakly. "Yes, it would appear as though we were led here."  
"Shit." Gen did his best to keep his voice low. "Gen, you need to get back to the Kingdom of science. It's the only way to pull of the phone-based strategy as Tsukasa and his Empire."  
"Think," said Yae. "We need a plan. Quick!"  
"I have an idea." Magma offered to go first. "Let's have Chrome leap out."  
Chrome shrugged. "Okay, and then what?"  
"When that Ukyo guy comes, I'll just punch him. I'll hit him so hard that it'll kill him."  
Yae hated the fact that Magma could probably finish someone off with one blow. She fought off the urge to roll her eyes and give him the biggest scoff. "No, Magma."  
"Ah, I see." Chrome said, pausing for a moment. "NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT." From the irritated look on his face, it was clear that Magma's plan was not going to happen.  
"What? You're just mad 'cause you'll be the only one to die. You jerk. You only think about yourself!"  
Chrome fumed. "You're one to talk!" He accidentally yelled.  
"Shh!" Asagiri Gem clamped both their mouths shut with his hands.

Everyone paused. Chrome's and Magma's yelling had disrupted the calmness of their hiding place.  
"Wait a minute." Chrome started rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a battery. "Damn. We're supposed to give this extra batter to Taiju and Yuzuriha."  
"Spill it, Chrome. Tell us about your plan already." Yae urged him.  
Chrome nodded, wasting no more time. "We could use this battery as a smokescreen and noise. Science would be able to do it in an instant."  
As they got to work on Chrome's plan, they barely had enough time to walk away before the battery exploded.  
"Now!" Chrome took off running, and then Magma, making as much noise as possible. Yae was right behind them. She made sure to keep him in his sights just in case Ukyo decided to attack Chrome without remorse. This way, the two of them made enough noise for Gen to have a chance as escaping.  
"If you don't make it back home after this, I'll murder you!" Magma gave it his to let the enemy exactly where they were.

* * *

Gen had become an excellent sprinter since waking up in the primitive world. From running away from Tsukasa and Hyoga, and enduring the countless tasks Senku gave him, Gen's stamina saw him back safely to the village.  
"Well, dear Senku. Who's the first one I need to seduce?" He had arrived with Senku in the middle of talking over the phone.  
"Gen! You made it back!" Suika cheered as she jumped up and down.

Yelling could be heard happening on the other end of the phone.  
"Is this a phone? With the world as it? How?" Said the voice over the phone.  
Gen mouthed, "Who is that?" at Senku.  
"Nikki." Senku mouth back at Gen.  
It was now or never. It was time for the young mentalist to shine once again. "I'm Lillian Weinberg!" His imitation of the beautiful Lilly was nearly spot-on.  
Taiju's voice could be heard over the mic. "Oh! That's the American Actress. I don't know much about her. Do you, Nikki?"  
"Idiot! Of course, I know who she is!"  
Senku stepped up to the mic and cleared his throat. "Hello. I'm Lillian's interpreter, Sebastian." Taiju froze. He knew it was Senku, and he badly wanted to tell him how bad of an impression he was doing, but he stayed quiet just as Senku told him. Senku continued. "Hello? I'm calling from the U.S. People of Japan, are you listening?"  
"The United States is back up and running?" Taiju blurted. "You hear that, ladies? We're totally saved!"  
"Wait just a damn minute," Nikki said. "Lillian was up in space when everyone turned to stone."  
Gen spoke confidently. "Yes, but I was petrified the moment I landed back on earth. I was only revived very recently."

Nikki twitched. A moment of silence. And then, "Lillian, I was...I may be tough as leather now, but during my high school days, your songs meant everything to me! I'm willing to do anything for you, Lillian. But if it turns out that someone is pretending to be you...they will know my anger!" Senku and Gen went white in the face.  
_Oh shit! We found ourselves a mega fan! _Senku was almost impressed.  
"There's something off about your voice, though." Said Lillian. "Tell me something only she would know: how many CD's did you sell in total?"  
Gen looked over at Senku, his eyebrow twitching out of nervousness.  
Senku quickly did the math in his head. He heard about Lillian all the time 3700 years ago, from television to the radio, bulletin boards, and girls from school talking about her during lunch. "Over 60 million copies sold. I can't get any more specific than that." Senku told her.  
"And I remember celebrating and having a party once we reached the fifty million mark," Gen confirmed, doing his best to convince her as much as possible. "CDs became less of a driving force near the end though, so I can't remember. Should I revive my manager and ask?"  
There was a long pause on the other end, and Senku and Gen wondered if their little stunt was pulling off.  
"No," Nikki answered. "Just one more question. Get the numbers right, and I'll believe you."  
Gen leaned over and whispered to Senku. "This might just work, after all, Senku dear!"  
"What are your measurements?" The question threw everyone off guard. How were they supposed to know something so minor? Well, at least to Nikki, it wasn't.  
This was Senku's moment to shine again. "88cm! 65cm! 85cm!" Senku thought back to the photo his dad sent him while in space. He was standing next to Lillian, and he used that to compare their sizes.  
"Hmfp!" Nikki was not impressed. "Your profile picture always said you were smaller.  
Senku was about to lose it, so he handed the mic over to Gen. "Um..." The mentalist thought quickly. "Well, I just told you my exact measurements."  
"Yes, well, you'd never tell a fan the truth." Nikki was quick to respond. "Even in this world, Lillian would remain a pro. You'd never toss away that carefully crafted fantasy. WHICH MEANS YOU'RE NOT LILLIAN WEINBERG!"

For the first time, there was silence on Senku's side. They were cornered, and anything they said next would have to be damn good. It was all or nothing now!  
"Time for the record." Said Senku as he placed his dad homemade record on the stone slab. "The oil will make it play nice and smooth. Instead of bluffing, I'll bet all this on science!"  
Music rang through the other end of the mic. The melodic sound sending shivers down Taiju's, Yuzuriha's, and Nikki's backs. It was Lillian's true voice they were listening to.  
"Yes!" Said Nikki. "This is real...this song anyway." She bowed her head, thinking about the past. Suddenly, she said, "Lillian's really gone, then? Lost forever, right?"  
"Yeah, Said Senku. "That's right."  
"Are you able to bring back more of Lillian's songs?" Nikki asked with tears in her eyes.  
"Nope! That's impossible. I'm ten billion percent sure of it. All recordings and media have crumbled to dust. But I can promise you one thing. Come what may, I'll preserve this final song with the power of science!"  
Nikki smiled. More tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're one awkward guy. I can tell already. But you wouldn't lie about science, right? So that's what I'll put my faith in."  
"Glad to hear it. Also, don't get all mushy on now. If there is going to be any hope of fooling and flipping Tsukasa's army, this record is essential. Even if we end up dying. And you would die to protect this record." Senku chuckled at this fact. "Seems like our interests are aligned, huh?"  
"Great!" Yelled Nikki. "You've got yourself deal! Whatever your scheme is, I want on board!"

* * *

Yae and Party were scattered. They hid in individual spots among the rocks and thick bushes. The land was dry, so the dust acted as another shield to protect them from the enemy.  
"Chrome, your death will not go to waste!" Magma crawled on his belly, inching closer to freedom.  
"Shut up! I'm not dead yet!" Chrome spoke in a harsh whisper.  
Yae was hiding a few feet away, watching the two bicker back and forth. Chrome was perfectly fine. He had a few scratches and was banged up from running away, but the arrows that surrounded him had surprisingly missed. "Shh!" Yae tried to hush to the two.  
Magma laughed. "Still kicking, huh? I was sure we lost you when you went all pale."  
"I'm just overwhelmed and spaced out for a second. Some damn pal you are using me as a shield."  
A sinister grin spread across Magma's face. "Well, thanks to you, those arrows showed me exactly where Ukyo's hiding!" He bolted forward, not longer crawling on his belly like a snake.  
"Get back here, dumb ass!" Yae and Chrome yelled.  
Chrome glanced over at Yae, the worry in his eyes matched hers. They were both thinking the same thing: the arrows came from different directions on purpose to keep them from guessing Ukyo's location.  
"Damn! Where did he go?" Magma could be heard off in the distance, yelling like an idiot.

The dust and smoke became thicker, making it harder to breathe. This was Ukyo's doing, too. He was using nature to his advantage. If Yae had more than silvery weapons on her, maybe she could have turned Ukyo's smoke plan on him. But alas, her dagger and katana were no match.  
"I don't think Ukyo's trying to kill us." Chrome spoke loud enough just for Yae to hear.  
Yae turned her head around the corner of the boulder she was hiding behind and looked at each arrow carefully snug into the ground around Chrome. She said nothing, only waited for Chrome to speak his mind again. "I think he wants to capture us unharmed and make us spill what we know." He shoved his hands down his pants and ripped off his underwear. He quickly tied it to a stick and waved it into the air.  
"No, Chrome! What are you doing?" Yae placed her hand on the hilt of her katana and waited for the worst.

Within mere seconds Ukyo swooped down and knocked Chrome to the ground. He pointed his arrow at his head. Any sudden movement would result in his death.  
And as the smoke started to dissipate, Yae came out of her hiding place. She did a three-sixty and flung her dagger at Ukyo. She had aimed to hit him in a less vital spot but still greatly injure him. Ukyo's swift moves and skills in archery saved him from such injuries. His arrow hitting the tip of Yae's dagger and knocked it out of motion. But Yae predicted as much and jumped forward, Katana gripped tightly in both hands. Ukyo moved off of Chrome and dodged Yae's attack. He pulled back another arrow and pointed it directly between her eyes. Everyone paused.  
"You're not going to kill me." Yae stared him down.  
"And neither are you." Ukyo threw her words back. "Your threats are empty. Twice now, you've had the opportunity to cut me down, but you didn't." He pointed the arrow at Chrome. "Move an inch, and I'll shoot your friend in the leg. It won't kill him, but he certainly won't ever walk again. Now, get up." He ordered Chrome. Chrome did as he was told and stood next to Ukyo.  
"Chrome!" Yae cautioned him.  
"It's fine." He assured her. "Don't worry about me."  
"But..."  
"Do as your friend says," Ukyo told her. Yae sneered at him. She gripped her katana, badly wanting to protect her friend. But all she could do was watch him willingly be captured.

Ukyo knew it was not worth the effort to try and take two captives. Yae would never allow it, but by taking Chrome, someone who was less likely to fight back seemed a better-suited choice. Yae watched the direction they were heading, and as soon as they rounded the corner, she picked up her dagger and went looking for Magma.  
She found him smashing rocks, yelling and cursing as he tried to find Ukyo.  
"Hey, you." Yae sheathed her katana. Magma spun around quickly, almost hitting Yae in the face. "Whoa! Watch where you're swinging that thing!"  
"Oops. Sorry." He looked left and right. "Where's Chrome?"  
Yae crossed her arms. "He was taken captive by Ukyo."  
Magma stomped his foot. "That dirty son of a bitch."  
"Calm down, Magma. All this yelling is going to waste your energy. I need you to do something for me."  
"And why should I listen to you, Peep squeak?"  
Yae rolled her eyes. "Really? Stop being dumb and think for once in your life."  
"Hmmph! Since when did you get such an attitude?"  
_Since the day I remembered my life 3700 years ago. _She thought. "Listen, Magma. You need to go back to the village and tell everyone what has happened. I'm sure Gen has made it back by now, but just in case he hasn't, you need to be there. Can you do that for me, please?"  
Magma cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. "And what about you?"  
"I'm going to scout ahead. I need you to tell Senku that. Chrome needs me right now, and I won't abandon him."  
Magma nodded, the look in his eyes serious. "Okay. Don't go getting yourself killed now."  
"Fat chance in that happening." Yae grinned and waved him off. She turned and headed in the direction where she last saw Ukyo and Chrome. If she hurried, she could easily catch up to them. Now knowing she had a history with Tsukasa, she doubted he would ever hurt her. But a year out here would be enough to change the way a person thought. Her plan was risky, but it was worth taking. If Tsukasa once attempted at killing Senku, who knew what he would do to her? Would he even recognize her? Yae knew how much she had changed physically and mentally. It was her best defense against the strongest primate.


	26. Chapter twenty-five

Ukyo's perfect hearing was Yae's dilemma. She had to keep a considerable distance away as any amount of sound would startle the young man and stir trouble. Shoes off and weapons sheathed, Yae walked on the tip of her toes, trying her best to ignore the tiny rocks pinching her feet. Yae half expected the route to Tsukasa's Empire to take longer, but instead, the sharp turns and narrows paths led her quickly to their domain.

With slow and steady breaths, Yae found a nook big enough to hide in but small enough to beckon anyone else's attention. Her heart was racing, but she reminded herself that silence would be her greatest ally. The last she saw of Chrome was him walking into a cave. She bid her time and waited—listening.  
"What's going on? did something happen?"  
"The top three dudes are all in there!"  
Yae closed her eyes, focusing on nothing else but the conversation happening inside the cave. Chrome's voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. "Yeah, I get it Tsukasa!" Yae held her breath for a second. Tsukasa was inside; she knew that, of course, but hearing his name come out of Chrome's mouth sent shivers down her spine. She was so close to him now. "You're the jerk who wants to erase science for good. Which is why I've come here to teach you a lesson or two about how awesome science really is!" Yae fought the urge to smack her palm on her forehead._  
Shut up, Chrome!_  
"Open up those ears! First up is Rainbow Flame Reactions!"  
There was a long pause after that, and Yae could only think of one thing Tsukasa and his men might do to him.  
"Hey, watch it!" Tsukasa held Chrome firm by the back of his shirt as he led out of the cave._  
Oh no! This is much worse!_ Yae watched from her tiny nook as Tsukasa, Hyoga, and Ukyo, led Chrome away from their territory.

To follow them, Yae had to take the long way around, which caused her to lose sight of them for a few minutes. Her heart drummed in her chest. She had no idea what kind of person Tsukasa was in this new, primitive world. Ukyo was still a mystery, but Hyoga was a violent man and would take a life easily. But, eventually, the sound of Chrome's quirky personality grabbed at her attention and pulled her in the right direction. The sound of rushing water almost became deafening as she watched them near the edge of a waterfall.  
"Why don't you tell us why you really came here, Chrome the scientist?" asked Hyoga as he dangled Chrome far over the edge by wooden pole.  
"Chrome," Tsukasa said. "I don't reject civilization out-right. We're already using fire and tools here. Even those are wonderful applications of science." He crossed his arms. "But progress must be halted." He went on to talk about the rulers of the old world and their interests. How they committed vile acts. "Not that you'd know anything about that." He finished.  
"Will you join us, Chrome?" Hyoga asked him.  
"Simply hand Senku over to us," Tsukasa spoke right after. They weren't going to give Chrome the proper time to think about his next action. "I will also guarantee the safety of your village."  
"S-sure. We have a deal. It's better than dying, I guess." Yae was shocked. He couldn't have meant that. "That's what you want me to say, right. Fat chance in that ever happening." Yae sighed a breath of relief, but all too soon.  
"So be it." Said Hyoga.  
"No!" Yae jumped out of her hiding place and flung her shoes at Ukyo's head. He fell on his side, his weapons dropping from his hands.

All of Kohaku's training was pulling off as the true test of Yae's strength and ability shone through. She pounced on Ukyo while he was still down, her foot pressed firmly against his throat, and the rest of her weight on his body. If he tried to move, all Yae would have to do to stop him, was press a little harder on his neck and render him unconscious. Her swift actions caused a few seconds of confusion from her enemies, thus giving her the time to pick up Ukyo's bow and arrow and aim it directly at Hyoga's head. An overwhelming amount of power washed over her knowing she could easily put a stop to Hyoga's actions.  
"Bring Chrome safely back to land. If you drop him, this arrow will go straight through your fucking eyeball!" Her skills in handling a bow were practically nothing, but they didn't know that.

Surprised, Tsukasa stood there, his arms resting at his sides again. "Sawa?"  
Yae kept her gaze on Hyoga. "I said bring him back." Her teeth gritted as her voice got lower. Tsukasa could easily overthrow her now that she was still. Why wasn't he?  
"Is it really you?" The tone in Tsukasa's voice became softer, hopeful.  
"Do it now, damn you!" She held the arrow further back, the bow shaking from the strain.  
While still looking at Yae, Tsukasa motion Hyoga over with a single wave of his hand. A small sigh escaped Hyoga's lips as he reluctantly brought Chrome back over to safety and dropped him on solid land.  
"Yae...? Why?" Chrome wasn't sure if he was happy to see her or not.  
"There was no sense in badgering him any longer, was there? Your friend was never going to crack."  
Yae pointed her arrow at Tsukasa now. "There's something you just don't get, Shishio. Chrome and I are forever loyal to Senku. We would never betray him!"  
Tsukasa smiled. "You're not going to kill me."  
She threatened him further. "Try me!"  
"Perhaps we can guess why these two came all the way here?" Hyoga interrupted. "Ukyo, where did you discover little Chrome?"  
Ukyo tried to speak, but Yae's foot was kept him from speaking.  
"Sawa, will you please release my friend?" Tsukasa's voice was soft. "I promise not to harm you. After all, it's you I've wanted to see the most."

While Yae contemplated all this. Of all the things that could go wrong—or right, Chrome shook his head at her. Slowly, but surely, Yae stepped off of Ukyo but kept his weapon.  
The young man coughed and rubbed his neck while he took a few good breaths before answering Hyoga's question. "Near the infamous miracle fluid cave. Chrome seemed to be scouting on his own. I didn't see Yae, though. Perhaps their both after the nitric acid."  
Yae and Chrome stole a glance at each other. Ukyo was lying, but why help them?  
"Let's head back," said Tsukasa. "There is much to discuss."  
Ukyo held out his arm, wanting his bow back. Yae looked at the bow, then at him, and then back at the bow. She lifted her leg and slammed down on the bow and forced all her weight to one side and snapped Ukyo's bow in half. Only then did she return it to him.  
"And don't get any funny ideas about using that shiny katana, either." Hyoga pointed. "Why don't you hand it over?"  
"Do it, Sawa." Tsukasa warned her.  
"Fine." She unlatched her katana from her side and dropped it at her feet. Her dagger, however, was safely hidden away in the nook she was hiding in before. She would go back for it later when it was safe to do so.

The three young males stepped forward, closing in on Yae when the cry of a hawk flew over their heads. Yae stood rigid. Her winged friend was concerned for her safety.  
Tsukasa held out his arm. "Hyoga. Your spear." The white-haired man was hesitant at first, but he obeyed his leader's orders nonetheless. "I haven't seen a hawk this beautiful in ages." He gripped the spear, knuckles turning white.  
"Strange," said Hyoga. "The river is miles from here, and small rodents in this area are scarce. What's it doing in these parts, do you think?"  
A smirk spread to one side of Tsukasa's mouth. "Indeed. One can never be too careful." Yae held her breath. She did her best to try and seem unfazed by what Tsukasa might do next.

Thinking fast, Yae put forth her best effort into a sneeze, throwing Tsukasa's aim off by an inch. The spear nicked the hawk's right wing; a small squeal echoed, and the wondrous creature gently floated down, disappearing into the trees. Yae fought the urge to yell at Tsukasa for hurting her feathered friend, but that would only aid Tsukasa and his Empire. If he knew Senku's Kingdom of science had a trained hawk for spying, it would put them at a disadvantage.  
"Are you unwell, Sawa?" Tsukasa asked.  
Yae rubbed her nose and sniffed, adding on to her little act. "It's nothing serious."  
"A small cold could lead to serious health problems in the stone world. Let's hurry back and get you something to eat." He offered Yae his hand.  
Yae looked at Chrome and then back at Tsukasa. "I can walk all on my own. I'm a big girl."  
Tsukasa smiled. "Of course."

Once surrounded by the men and women of the Tsukasa's Empire, Chrome would be locked up.  
"Don't worry about me, Yae. Worry about yourself." He told his friend before parting ways.  
"Chrome..." Yae was helpless as she watched him go. The whole point of her being here was to protect Chrome, and what a swell she was doing.  
"This way." Tsukasa walked ahead, stopping for only a second for her to catch up. "Leave us." He said to Hyoga and Ukyo.  
Yae gulped. She didn't want to be left alone in Tsukasa's care.

Tsukasa's place of rest was not what Yae had in mind. She pictured the place to be cold and dark, but instead, the den in which he led her was filled with dozens of animal skin and fur. Deer jerky was resting on a wooden plate, and Tsukasa handed her the entire thing.  
"Eat up. There is water in that jar, too, if you get thirsty." He pointed over to the side where a stone jar sat at the side of what looked like a makeshift bed made out of grass, leaves, feathers, and bear fur.  
"Thanks..." Yae took a single piece of jerky and took a bit. The jerky was tough and needed some salt, but it was food to fill her empty belly.  
Tsukasa lit a few candles. The wax was made by boiling plants. "You must be tired of walking all that way. I know you came from the village where Senku is currently living." He sat down on a chair made of stone.  
"I've walked further."  
Tsukasa chuckled at this. "Indeed."  
Yae finished her jerky and said to her captor, "Shishio..." She stepped forward, ready to make her plea.  
"I'm going to stop you there." He held up a hand to silence her. "Please, call me Tsukasa."  
Yae bit her lower lip. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of hearing his name come off her lips. But she complied. "Tsukasa..."  
"Last names in this age seem to have no meaning." A thoughtful expression played across his face. "It reminds me of a conversation I had with Senku when I first woke up in this primitive age. But I'm honored that you called me by my last."  
"Don't be." She told him.

A moment passed where the two of them said nothing. Staring at each other, neither one breaking the silence.  
A noise from outside, one of the men, broke them from their trance. A meaningless brawl had broken out between two men.  
"Aren't you going to stop them?" Yae asked.  
He shrugged. "No. I'll let them be; this is more important."  
Yae cocked her head to the side. "Important?"  
"Come closer, Yae. Or would you still prefer I call you by your last name?"  
"Does it matter anymore?" She said as she walked closer, standing a few inches from Tsukasa. "You can stop this. You can let my friend go free, and you can make peace with Senku."  
Tsukasa shook his head. "You know I can't do that, Yae. Senku has made up his mind."  
"As you have, I'm sure."  
Tsukasa stood up fast. Yae had every intention of backing away, but he held her steady. "I'm sorry, Yae." He cupped her face. She said nothing. There were many things that an apology could stand for, but she didn't know which one.  
"Please, let go of me."  
"Don't worry. I don't plan on hurting you. I want to help you. I want to make amends. Together we can accomplish so much."  
"The only thing I want to do with you, Tsukasa, is to leave this place. Let's go back to Ishigami village and make amends there."  
"I can't do that." He shook his head.  
"Why not?"  
"You don't understand, Yae."  
"I think you do."  
"Sorry, but you don't."  
Yae scoffed. "Why do you keep apologizing?"  
"For not being able to save you in time all those years ago."  
Yae felt her body go limp. She knew what he was referring to as she hung her head. "Those men are long gone, Tsukasa. I've learned to let go and grow from that experience. You should too." She paused. "You did your best. I understand that..."

Tsukasa's next move surprised Yae as he got down on one knee and gripped her hands. "I know that you see me as the bad guy, but all I want to do is create a world free from people who only wish harm on others. I want to create that world with you; a place where you can sleep at night and not have to worry about another human being taking advantage of you. I want a world where my little sister can play and be healthy. Will you help me, Yae?"  
She stared at him for a long moment, searching for the answer hidden deep in his brown eyes. "You have all the right intentions, Tsukasa, But you're going about it the wrong way. You would make a wonderful hero, but instead, you choose to make a lousy villain." She pulled free from his grasp. "You say you want to make a better world, but those men I see outside are not what I have in mind. Hyoga is a perfect example. I want to help you. Believe me. And I want us to stay friends, but this is not the way to do that."  
More noise erupted from outside, causing Tsukasa to stand and walk toward the entrance of the den. "Stay here. We'll continue this conversation later."  
"You're not going to lock me up?"  
"You are not a prisoner here, Yae. You are free to come and go. You always have been." He left her alone there to calm the commotion happening outside. She knew Tsukasa was fighting a battle within himself, and it would take more than some fancy words to help him win that fight.

**Author's note: I will catch up on what Senku and team are doing in next chapter. I wanted to focus on what was happening with Yae. It was easier for me to move the story along by doing it this way. I hope all of you are doing okay! **


	27. Chapter twenty-six

Senku and the team were hard at work, trying to figure out a way to successfully infiltrate Tsukasa's Empire. And without spilling any blood.  
"There has to be something big enough to scare them," Kohaku spoke aloud.  
Before another word could be spoken by anyone else, Suika popped up in the middle of the group. She looked worried and out of breath. "It's Chrome, you guys! He's alive!" In her arms, she held Yae's hawk, whose leg was injured.  
"You saw him?" Kohaku was relieved.  
"You went on another dangerous mission?" Kaseki said.  
However, the former chief was pleased to hear the news, quickly forgetting that a young girl spying on the enemy by herself isn't safe. "Well done, Suika!" He took Yae's hawk from her arms. "I'm surprised this little guy managed to make it out."  
"I saw him in the woods on my way back." Suika explained. "The place is full of guards, though." She sucked in a deep breath, trying steady beating heart.  
"Thanks, Suika. I'll be sure to take him home to rest and heal."  
Magma's voice roared. "We can take 'em! All we have to do is bash their heads in!" He laughed.  
Ginro gulped. "Sounds like a recipe for disaster."  
"And another thing." Suika quickly pointed out. "They have Yae, too!" Everyone looked to Senku, but the calm and collected scientist remained calm.  
"Yae will be alright. Tsukasa would be stupid to hurt even a single strand of hair on her head. Our Yae is smart and dependable. I'm sure she has a plan of her own." He crossed his arms and shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I don't know about bashing heads, but a head-on approach doesn't seem like a bad idea." The others gaped at him. "We'll use our giant mecha to smash right into them."  
Kaseki took a confident step forward. "Does that mean..."  
Senku turned to him. "That's right. We're going to upgrade our steam gorilla into a full-blown tank!"

Asagiri Gen's brow twitched. "And just how exactly will you be making this?"  
"We'll give our tank armor plaiting, making it capable smashing the enemy away."  
"Will you cover it with iron then?" The lioness asked.  
"No way. That'd make it way too heavy. It needs to be able to move at ramming speed."  
Asagiri Gen nodded in agreement. "Exactly. So what will we be using?"  
Senku looked at him and said, "Kami!"  
While leaving everyone else confused, the mentalist should have known better. "Right. Of course. Paper." He paused. "HUUUH? PAPER?"

With some help from the other villagers, supplies were quickly gathered to make their new and improved giant mecha.  
Ruri handed Senku a bundle of plants. "Are you sure all of this will work? All these plants?"  
He nodded to the young priestess. "Just about any. We'll even take this bundle of grass."  
"And then what?" She asked, curious.  
Senku was more than happy to explain. "We boil them in sodium hydroxide."  
"And then what, Senku?" Suika stood on her tip-toes and looked down at the boiling plants.  
"Then we rinse it, press it, and dry it."

Within an hour, Senku and his Kingdom of science had their stacks and rows of paper.  
Asagiri Gen quickly snatched one. "Oh, wow! Just like the real thing. I never knew it was so easy."  
Kaseki huffed. "A shame we wasted all those pelts, though." His words went unheard when Magma jammed his fist through a sheet of paper. "How is this flimsy junk going to do us any good?" He was obviously annoyed.  
Kohaku also shared her concerns. "I have to agree, Senku. How is this going to help fortify our car?"  
"No doubting just yet." Senku grabbed some paper and a few other pieces of material and got to work.  
"Are you making a Japanese paper door?" Asagiri Gen leaned over to watch the scientist get to work.  
"Ten billion percent correct!" He stood from his crouched position and raised his creation. "And done! Paper shield acquired!"

Kinro was standing off to the side, assorting the weapons they would use against Tsukasa.  
"Hey, Kinro, come over for a sec."  
"Hmm?" He pushed up his glasses and walked steadily over. "What do you need?"  
Senku pointed over at a tree. "Try putting a dent in that tree with your spear."  
He shrugged. "Okay." Kinro was more than happy to comply and cut a large chunk of the tree off. "You may not be aware of this, Senku. But a spear wielder can pierce even through wooden shields. "I can't imagine your paper shields putting up much a fight against Tsukasa and his Empire."  
Even Ginro made it a point to put his two senses in. "I have to agree with big bro."  
Senku chuckled. "This will make for a perfect test, then. Are you ready?" He asked Kinro.  
"Ready for what?"  
"I want you to hit me with everything you've got."  
"This is risky, Senku."  
"It's not a real test unless you give it our all. Okay? Those are the rules, and rules are rules, right?"  
Kinro steadied himself into a fighting position. "If you insist. I won't hold back!" He definitely gave it his all, putting a giant dent in the shield and shattering his spear.

The others gaped in surprise. Shocked that Senku was still standing, not to mention, still breathing.  
"What?" Asagiri Gen shrieked. "How did a mere paper screen..." He was at a loss for words.  
"Hold up." Said Kohaku. "It appears our winner isn't capable of answering."  
"He's shaking." Said Suika.  
"I blocked the stab but not the impact." Ginro was no stranger to his brother's blows.  
"That wasn't just ordinary paste you brushed over the shield, is it?" The mentalist had an idea of where this was going.  
Hearing this made Senku laugh. "Bingo! Ten billion points! I used unhardened plastic. From back when we made phones."  
"So, in other words..." Asagiri Gen was putting all the pieces together.  
"Combining thin, flexible paper with this plastic, yields the rebirth of carbon fiber reinforced polymers!"  
"Carbon!" Asagiri Gen flipped. No one else may have known, but the mentalist wasn't completely clueless.

The young scientist seemed stupidly satisfied with his more-than-easy creation. "That's right. It's lightweight but tough as heck. Top grade in both mobility and defense. This ultimate material was used for formula one racers and even rocket ships!"  
Kohaku took up Senku's shield and gave it a pleasing look. "This could really work then. A tank armored with those shields. We could smash right in and save Chrome!"

* * *

Yae wandered the grounds of Tsukasa's Empire. The tough and gruff men and women she was surrounded by did not remind her of the pure and kind-hearted souls Tsukasa spoke of reviving. Quite the opposite.  
A loud crack came from over where Chrome was held captive, and she rushed over. The ground beneath the two guards gave way, but other than that, Chrome was left unharmed. Yae looked at her feet. _Traps_. She thought. _I better be careful where I walk from here on out._  
She walked by the guards who were still recovering from their near death, and knelt before Chrome, her fingers wrapping around the wooden bars.  
"Are you holding up, Chrome?" Yae asked.  
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. How are you doing?"  
Yae shook her head. "I'm the one running around freely. You don't have to concern yourself with how I'm doing." She spoke quietly.  
Chrome gripped the wooden bars and leaned in. "There are traps everywhere. Be careful!"  
She nodded. "I gathered that. Thank you, though. I'll try to find a way to free us both. I'm going to talk with Tsukasa again."  
"Don't bother. That guy is a maniac."

This time Yae hung her head. A pang of deep guilt clenching her chest. Chrome had no idea who Tsukasa was to her. Or what he has done to try and protect her in the past. "Chrome," she began. "I know Tsukasa. He won't hurt me. Or you. If he's smart, he won't. I bet you anything he wants us to comply with him."  
Chrome snorted. "Fat chance in that ever happening."  
Yae smiled a little. Her friend was right. "Chrome, I know you have a plan swirling around inside your head right now about a means of escape. I do too. If we don't lose our shit, I believe we can get through this."  
Chrome smirked. "Keeping a level head is something I'm good at. I'm a scientist, after all!"  
Yae laughed. "You're right." She stood, brushing the dirt off her knees. "I'll see you again as soon as I can." Chrome nodded and watched her leave.

While on her way to see Tsukasa, a voice said. "And who might you be, Dear?" A slightly older blonde female called out to Yae from above. She was resting in a den filled with furs. Yae said nothing. The blonde sighed and rolled over on to her back, looking up at the sky. "It's not so bad here. The men do all the hard work, and us woman—most of us—do the simple things, like cooking or cleaning. Or if you're like me, you sit around most of the time. Observing is what I do best." She craned her neck to look at Yae.

It took a moment, but Yae soon realized who this woman was. "Are you Hokutozai Minami? You were a reporter."  
The blonde was pleasantly surprised and flipped back over on her belly. She raised herself to her hands and knees and peered down at Yae. "You're from the old world! Where are your markings?"  
Yae dodged the question. That was private. And now that that was on her mind, she thought back to that day Senku "examined" her. She hadn't yet remembered who she was. "I remember seeing you on the television, that's all."  
"And wasn't I great?" Minami smiled big.

Yae slowly tore her gaze away from the once reporter and made her way to Tsukasa's _throne_. There he was speaking with Hyoga.  
"Coal is simple enough to obtain. Even if it is of low quality." Tsukasa said. "Gunpowder is the biggest scientific threat. But after that, we should try and be wary of them coming after us with steam-powered vehicles." Tsukasa glanced over Hyoga's shoulder to look at Yae.  
"Steam engines?" Hyoga almost laughed. "In the stone world?"  
Yae stood next to Hyoga. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder, but his height didn't intimidate her. "Senku is a master of creation. With science on his side, there is little he can't make." She shot Hyoga a dirty glance.  
Tsukasa grinned. "Yae is right. Sooner or later, yes. If I know Senku, he can do it."  
"Hmm. Yes, of course." Hyoga managed. With Yae standing there, there was little he could say. And he doubted Tsukasa would take kindly to throwing her out by force. His goal was to win her over. So no matter how much he wanted to throw her in a cage, he followed Tsukasa's orders. _You two are nothing but bait! _He thought.  
"You may leave us, Hyoga. I wish to speak with Yae alone."  
"Alright," Hyoga clenched his jaw tight, obviously annoyed at her presence. But he left, obeying Tsukasa's orders like a good little soldier.

A moment passed before a word was spoken.  
"Senku's sentimentality is his greatest flaw. Surely you know this?" He said to Yae.  
She nodded once. "But he is also very cunning and will work his way around your cruel intentions."  
"Cruel?" Tsukasa chuckled. "You think I am cruel?"  
"And stupid." She added.  
"Bold words for someone surrounded by enemies."  
"Are you my enemy, Tsukasa?"  
The leader of the Empire cocked his head to the side, wondering what she meant by that. "Can I confide in you about something?" Yae stayed silent. "You're one of the few people I trust. Hyoga is hungry for blood. I want my Empire to grow. And those with me want the same. I want peace just as much as you and Senku, but reviving everyone is a mistake. Do you really want those vile people to return to this pure world? It was corrupted, before all this."  
Yae crossed her arms. "Are those mean and scary looking men standing outside are what you call pure." She scoffed. "Give me a fucking break!"  
"They are necessary for the cause."

Yae took a step forward. Every muscle in her body was tense for what she was about to say next. "Can I also confide in you about something?" She didn't wait. "I love Senku. He is my partner in life. And if you hurt him, I will never forgive you!"  
Tsukasa clenched his fists. "You have slept with, then?"  
Yae nodded. "As I said, he is my partner."  
Tsukasa fought the urge to sink into his throne. He remained strong and kept his outer appearance calm and collected, even though he was burning up on the inside. "Need I remind you that the strong survive."  
Yae raised one brow and furrowed the other. "What the hell does that mean? You also have to be smart. Brains and brawn's have to work together." She thought of Taiju and Senku and how great of a team they made. "Sooner or later, you will realize your mistake. I came here hoping to talk some sense into you."  
"Funny," said Tsukasa. "I was hoping for the same."  
Yae turned her back on him. "I'm not angry with you, Tsukasa. I'm disappointed." And she left him there to sit on his throne alone, her words fueling his ambitions.

**Author's Note:**  
**Hmm. What to say. My writing has been on hiatus at the moment. I'm working on other projects. I'm not even writing in my original stories (besides taking notes).**** I hope all of you are doing well. And thanks to everyone who has left a review thus far. It means a lot to me!  
**


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